On Medina Drive, near Memorial Park, a lineup begins on Sunday at 1 p.m. Everyone is coming to visit Aunt Vi and have a homemade meal.
Violet Blount began Vie’s Pantry for the Homeless with her husband Dave after noticing how serious the problem of homelessness had become in Sudbury and specifically, how many hungry people are in need of food.
Dave Blount said he wasn’t aware of how bad the situation was until he got involved with other local organizations, Free Indeed and Bizzzy Bea’s, as they helped the needy in downtown Sudbury.
“I was so amazed about the number of people that were in need, it was a shock,” said Blount. He came home and told his wife Violet about it. She visited the downtown population as well and started Vie’s Pantry for the Homeless soon after.
Both Violet and Dave were amazed not only at the number of people who came for food, but that they were different than the Blount’s expected.
“There were homeless people, but also senior citizens,” said Dave Blount.
And so, each week, Violet Blount gathers food donations thanks to the network that includes Free Indeed, Bizzzy Bea’s and the Aboriginal Peoples Alliance Northern Ontario (APANO) as well as many people in the community and cooks for those in need. Soups, spaghetti, anything she can create with the food she has.
“It's an overwhelming feeling,” said Dave Blount. “A lot of the seniors and the oldest don't get that nutrition that they need. It's an overwhelming feeling because of the excitement that you see in their eyes.”
But it isn't just the food that her guests come for, it is the company as well. A visit with Aunt Vi, the name her clients have taken to calling her, is one that comes with a meal and an open heart.
Violet Blount listens to stories, asks her guests how they are and offers them nutritious food and a place they belong.
She begins her prep on Wednesdays to have the meals ready and COVID-safe for Sunday. She often puts her menu up on her Facebook page with any donations she requires, then sets up in the same place each week. Blount said there is often a line already formed when she arrives. Her husband Dave tends to move around the park area, talking, listening and showing the way to the meals on offer.
She has volunteers now, including a family hoping to show their children the value of giving. But more than anything, The Blounts need food donations to help them feed others.
If you are able to donate extra food, Vie’s Pantry for the Homeless would be happy to make it into a lovely meal for someone who is in need.
You can find all the details by clicking here.
