Grant Funding Helps Sustain PIT Stop Program Amid Challenges

pantry items on plastic tables

Each year, the City of Kamloops issues a call for proposals for registered charities and non-profit agencies in our community to apply for Social and Community Development Grants, which are intended to fund special projects, operational costs, and/or capital expenditures that address specific current social problems and/or issues related to the City’s Social Plan or the Livability and Sustainability pillar of the Council Strategic Plan. 

Kamloops United Church received a $30,000 Social and Community Development Grant in 2024. This is how the grant was used:

Submitted by Kamloops United Church

PIT Stop is a program that delivers a hot meal to underserved community members each Sunday. Volunteer teams come together each week to cook and deliver the meals to our guests who are often struggling with homelessness, mental health, isolation and addiction. Funding from this grant helped in paying for our part-time PIT Stop Coordinator, who organizes volunteers and ensures the program runs smoothly. A key success to this program is partnering with community organizations thathelped to expand its impact and support to those in need.

In the summer of 2024, the church had to pivot and deliver takeaway meals rather than a sit-down meal after the building was damaged in a fire. As we continue to recover from the fire, we are grateful for the incredible community support that has helped sustain the PIT Stop operations. CMHA-Kamloops has helped by providing us with the use of a kitchen, the Kamloops Y is supporting with an outdoor food distribution location. The City of Kamloops also generously offered an indoor space for our Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. Additionally, we subscribe to the Food Bank’s Food Share program, which helps supplement our food supply. The PIT Stop program will continue to meet this challenge until the rebuild is complete.

Volunteer teams in the last year came from the following organizations:

  • Caribbean Cultural Society
  • Southwest Community Church
  • Team Paying it Forward
  • Capri CMW
  • Rotary Daybreak
  • Urban Matter
  • TRU Gaglardi School of Business
  • St. Paul's Church
  • Brain Injury Association
  • Hills of Peace Lutheran Church
  • RBC
  • Rotary West
  • Kamloops Pride
  • TRU Human Rights Law Club
  • Krueger
  • Four Paws Food Bank
  • Kamloops Swim Club
  • Aberdeen Elementary
  • NorKam Secondary Key Club
  • Kamloops Latin Community
  • and many more dedicated individuals

It is very clear how important PIT Stop is to our community guests; the meal is key to many people's survival. In addition, the experience of community, conversation, being greeted, being remembered, and feeling welcome is one that is needed for the mental health of many of our guests. From all the incredible support we received after the fire from the downtown community, the City, and the many volunteers, it is evident how important the PIT Stop program is for everyone.  It is not to be underestimated the importance of people feeling useful and valued as a volunteer or a guest coming for a meal.

PIT Stop Testimonial: “On the day of the fire we had planned a "Self-Care-Day" for our PIT Stop guests. We had small items: combs, soap and towels and treats like juice-boxes, candy/granola-bars, etc. The plan was to offer haircuts and foot washing but unfortunately, we could not do this, but the firefighters allowed us a safe area to hand out things to our guests. It was a scary day but also very cool to see our city come together. Many of our guests are living rough and the care and concern we heard from them was beautiful.” - Chris Buchner, PIT Stop Support 

To learn more about this Social and Community Development Grant, visit Kamloops.ca/Grants. Review the full list of stories of how other groups used their Social and Community Development Grants.