The Brunch Bunch Continues To Serve Up Full Bellies And Full Hearts

by Ruth Roberts
The Brunch Bunch lit a candle in the heart of the legal community in Belleville.

“It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”

 This blog was going to be about a fight for human rights; for the rights of prisoners to be treated humanely; for the rights to access to justice. And next month there will be a blog about precisely those issues. But something happened on Saturday to change my direction, to focus my mind on all the small candles that need to be lit in these times of darkness.

Celebrating two years with the Brunch Bunch.

This past Saturday we held our seventeenth Hastings County Law Association Brunch Bunch at the Salvation Army in Belleville. And yet again, I left with my heart full of hope and warmth and gratitude.

More than two years ago our local Law Association decided we wanted to give back to our community in a tangible way. And what better way than to feed people. We did research into what was needed in our community, and, with the help of Brenda Snyder from Volunteer Information Quinte, we found our way to the Salvation Army and the then-Community Outreach Director, Abby Mills. We learned that, at that time, there were no weekend meal programs in Belleville, and so the HCLA Brunch Bunch was born.

The Brunch Bunch brought our legal community together in support of a bigger cause. 

In October 2018, I presented a proposal at a meeting at the Quinte Consolidated Courthouse. Everyone from the local legal community was invited. I was nervous. I didn’t know if anyone would show up, if there would be support for the plan, or if we would be able to raise the needed funds. I was surprised beyond my most optimistic hopes. The meeting was attended by representatives from almost every corner of the legal system. Court staff rubbed shoulders with judges; police officers came out with probation officers; we had our law librarian, lawyers, students, Crown attorneys – the whole spectrum of our justice system, eager to be part of something new.

We worked closely with the Salvation Army, planning the meals and learning the protocols. A number of us took the Safe Food Handling course; some volunteers were available with First Aid training; people stepped up to the plate to fundraise. We organized as a self-funded project of the Salvation Army, with donations made to the Salvation Army and designated for the Brunch Bunch. We followed all their protocols and benefitted from the extraordinary support and patience of Abby Mills and Brenda Post. By the time we were ready to launch, we already had respectable funding.

Giving back to the community has made a real impact on everyone involved.

On March 23, 2019 the HCLA Brunch Bunch served its first meal. It was one of the most amazing days of my life. Our legal community came together with laughter, initiative and kindness, and cooked and served a great brunch to our guests, who were coming in from the cold. That spirit of community and giving has continued, unabated. We have always had a pool of people, eager to take part, eager to help, eager to give back. And we have received so much in return.

We have met amazing people and learned new things. We have had the incredible privilege of working alongside people who work tirelessly to help others in need. We have lit some candles; and had candles lit for us. We have worked alongside people with whom our paths rarely crossed, and had a deeper understanding of our colleagues. We have made friends and made memories.

The Brunch Bunch is still going strong despite Covid-19. 

Over the years I have been involved with many volunteer projects and worked with many groups. The Brunch Bunch has been far and away my best experience.

On February 29, 2020 we served our twelfth Brunch and celebrated with a cake, jokes, and lots of stories shared with our guests. By then we had served over 1,000 meals, and we were dreaming big dreams.

And we all know what happened in March.

We took a hiatus, time to regroup and see how we could continue to serve. We consulted with the Salvation Army, and blessedly in June, we were back.

Nothing is the same, of course. Meals are takeout, now, served through a window in the Thrift Shop at the Salvation Army on Pinnacle Street. From a crew of 16 or more, we are down to a crew of five or six. We are no longer the only game in town on weekends. But we are there, we are helping, we are seeing old friends and new, whilst social distancing, and we are making a difference. The candle may be small, but it still burns brightly.

Not a week goes by without new volunteers coming forward. People are even more eager than ever to reach out, to help, to support a community that is hurting. And it goes both ways.

These are dark and frightening times. I think we all have days when we feel exhausted and overwhelmed. But no matter how tired and worried and stressed I am, the Brunch Bunch brings me pure joy and a reminder that light always triumphs over dark.

Come on, light a candle in your corner, and see how we can change the world!

Ruth Roberts