A Yellowknife business is doing its part to feed some of the city’s less fortunate.
Every day after 1pm, Gourmet Cup hands out free sandwiches and coffee to homeless people in Yellowknife.
Leslie Bromley, who owns the coffee shop in the YK Centre, told Moose FM it’s her way of giving back to the community.
“After the lunch rush they’re welcome to come in for a sandwich and a medium-sized coffee,” she said.
“When we run out of sandwiches, most of them don’t mind the veggie wraps and if we run out of those, then we’ll hand out soup and breakfast muffins.
“I know a few of the street people and I know that they get hungry and what do you do with your leftovers at the end of the day?
“You could sell them for half-price tomorrow but everyone knows when they get a half-priced sandwich that it’s yesterday’s.”
Read: Yellowknife Homelessness ‘Worse Than Toronto’ – But Can Be Fixed
There are some rules, however. Bromley says food is only handed out to people who are clearly homeless, so that those who need it most get it. People must also sign in, and can only come after 1pm.
On a typical day, the coffee shop will feed as many as 20 people and most will visit multiple times a week.
“Every once in a while we get someone new but most of the folks come in two, three or even four times a week,” she said.
Bromley, who has owned Gourmet Cup for the past 18 years, says most people appreciate the gesture.
“Some of them are so gracious they say thank you to the point where we have to say, ‘You’re most welcome … you can keep going now.’
“Others expect it and others don’t say anything but you know, because they’ve bitten into their sandwich before they get their coffee, that they’re hungry.
“They may not have the words to say they’re thankful for it but you can tell they are.
“It’s my little bit to help the community,” she said. “There are so many injustices out there so this is just a little thing to help.”
