Three and a half YEARS. That is how long it has been since our last Monday Drop-In at 250 Dunn Avenue. I could never have imagined in March of 2020 that we would be re-opening in a new location in the fall of 2023, after having pivoted during a pandemic. But here we are. To say we are both excited and nervous is no understatement.

We have been longing for this but have lacked a suitable space until now. I still remember the day a friend and colleague from the Health Centre saw the team walking along Queen Street and said, “do you want to run a drop-in at 245 Dunn Avenue? I was just talking with them about you.” I had to say, “pardon?” because I wanted to make sure I heard her right. That was the beginning of a new connection with Toronto Community Housing, and specifically a building that we already frequent because of the number of community members who live in it.

It has taken some time to iron out the details, but we are finally ready to move in on Mondays. The space is a bit of a blank slate, so just today we walked around it to imagine how to bring it to life in a Dale way. Our plan is to spread the word about the change this week and next, and then will host a pilot drop-in on September 25^th from 11 am to 2 pm. There will be coffee and tea, tables to sit at (indoors, as well as on the adjoining outdoor patio), and a simple lunch of sandwiches and soup served at 1 pm.

We have been fortunate to learn that community can still be built even in a line-up, as evidenced by all of the new people who have joined us since 2020. AND, we have never lost sight of the importance of gathering around a table together. Loneliness and a sense of isolation shift when we get to sit side by side, converse, and share food.

As we make this transition, we are needing support. If you and your workplace or church or group of friends are able to make sandwiches and/or soup for us, we would be very grateful. We have started a Meal Train to make it easy to learn more about what we need and sign-up: Meal Train

When I reflect on the last number of years, I can’t help but think about the many people we now grieve who would be thrilled about this re-opening. We are returning to something familiar, and yet it promises to be different. How amazing though that we are moving just across the street from where we once were, into a building where so many people live? It’s hard to imagine anything better.