Not as many gathering at the Gathering Place

Pete Gregory was surprised the Gathering Place did not have to serve more clients during the holiday season going into 2025. 

"I don't know if people were away on holidays, the weather was fair and we cannot complain about the weather so they just were not out and about I guess this year," said Gregory, the chair of the Gathering Place soup kitchen board.  

See related: Gathering Place adjusting after cutbacks

See also: Chippa leaving the Gathering Place

Part of the reason for the slow holiday season may be due to meal cutbacks too.

Back in September, the organization made the decision to cut staff and decrease their meals to five meals a week, one a day and lunch only. 

Along with the meal cutbacks, the organization also let go of its longtime executive director, Dennis Chippa, in early December. 

"The numbers were down and it just did not seem that busy," continued Gregory. "We run for two hours so I would have thought we would have been running off our feet from what we were but that is okay too. We have to accept that. 

"Things are going well, our doors are open, most of our bills are paid, so we are very optimistic. We have money in the bank, I would like to use the word comfortable, I'm not sure I can use that but it is okay right now especially for the beginning of the year because usually money would have run out right about now but we are in good shape this time of year." 

Coldest Night event approaching

While the organization seems to be doing better financially to start 2025, Gregory says they still need to raise funds and the Coldest Night of the Year event has traditionally been one of the organization's biggest annual fundraisers. This year it will take place on Feb. 22. 

"We have about 15 teams entered already but we hear of a lot more teams coming on now and that is traditionally the way it is," he said.  "We don't see a lot until the second week of February and then the push is on and the money starts coming at that point as well." 

Gregory is hoping the event will be bigger than the event last year. 

"Last year was a bit of a dip for us as far as the Coldest Night of the Year is concerned so this year we hope to pick it back up again and make it more successful financially for us."

Gregory says that funds coming from events like this are crucial to the North Bay soup kitchen. 

"Always the same need, it's money," said Gregory.  

"Without money, nothing happens. We are very gifted that we have a lot of volunteers and good volunteers. They are coming in on a regular basis and helping out so there is no cost to that for us so that is a good thing. We have to watch our overhead."

For more information or to donate to the Coldest Night of the Year event, you can click HERE.