To support their return, Lionhearts Inc. will be resuming its food recovery program and discontinuing its Street Project on Aug. 27.
“It has been a privilege to feed and care for thousands of Kingstonians over the last year and a half during a time where they may not have had anywhere else to turn,” said Travis Blackmore, Executive Director of Lionhearts Inc. “We’re encouraged by the progress made in re-opening the important community services that we all rely on and want to focus our efforts in helping those agencies during this critical moment.”
Since launching its Street Project in March of 2020, the Lionhearts COVID-19 Street Project – with the support of an army of volunteers and a legion of generous donors – has provided 333,114 meal kits throughout locations in Kingston, Amherstview, and Napanee.
With the Street Project winding down, the focus now will be on three key Lionhearts initiatives: firstly, ramping up the Lionhearts food recovery program whereby unsellable, but still edible, food is transported from local grocery stories and restaurants to community agencies for redistribution; secondly, preparing for the opening of the Kingston food warehouse as announced by the City of Kingston in the spring; and thirdly, resuming The Embassy Live Music Café programming.
The Embassy is a pop-up music venue that fosters an inclusive environment centered on an intimate stage connecting you with live performers each week. Tickets are given out by local community support agencies to their clientele, offering them a safe, climate-controlled space with refreshments where they can enjoy the best of local live music. The Embassy has been on hiatus since spring of last year due to COVID-19.
“Re-opening a venue like The Embassy is an important step in helping our arts community recover, as it provides paying work for our local musicians,” said Liam Thomas, Manager of The Embassy.
No set timeframe has been established for The Embassy’s re-opening – however, the Lionhearts team is working with a goal of resuming performances this fall.
Fundraising work continues to offset the costs of the Street Project. Interested donors may visit lionhearts.ca/covid-19-street-project/.
