Samaritan Centre Marks A Decade Of Helping The Less Fortunate

By Angela Gemmill

The Samaritan Centre, downtown has been helping the homeless and vulnerable population for a full decade now.

The building on Elgin Street at Shaughnessy, houses four agencies each helping provide distinct services: the Elgin Street Mission, the Blue Door Soup Kitchen, the Corner Clinic and New Hope Outreach.

According to the Centre’s Executive Director, Kevin Serviss between 300 and 400 people come through the doors daily.

Each agency provide different types of services whether it’s food, clothing, health care and shelter or just a friendly smile.

Serviss is pleased they’ve been able to meet basic needs like food, shelter and health care but he would like to more clients finding their way out of poverty.

To mark the ten year anniversary today, Mayor Brian Bigger proclaimed Greater Sudbury a “Caring Community” because of the work at the Samaritan Centre.

As part of the celebration there were also tours of the building, an Open House and a BBQ lunch.