The magic of the holidays for everyone!
Mélissa Gélinas
The Community Christmas Dinner is back for the third consecutive year at the Maison du Citoyen and will welcome nearly 350 people experiencing food insecurity in the region, to share a warm moment of solidarity and mutual support around a traditional holiday meal. Free for all, the event will take place on Friday, December 19 at 5 pm at the Agora Gilles-Rocheleau.
This year, the focus will be more on young people and children. According to Michel Kasongo, general manager at La Soupe Populaire de Hull, it is important that they experience the magic of Christmas. To this end, Santa Claus will be on site and will distribute gifts. "Many families do not have the financial means to do so," he said. The objective is, above all, to create a vision of living together and sharing around a unifying event.
To enjoy a festive and friendly occasion, several guests, including the mayor of Gatineau, Maude Marquis-Bissonnette and the Member of Parliament for Hull, Suzanne Tremblay will be present.
About 10 years ago, restaurateurs in downtown Gatineau, including Les Brasseurs du Temps (BDT) and the Gainsbourg restaurant (currently closed) decided to create this initiative. "They partnered with La Soupe Populaire de Hull and Les Gitanes," explained Kasongo. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, everything stopped. Then, in 2023, thanks to a resident and volunteer at La Soupe Populaire de Hull, Sandra Savard, the project was started up again. To do this, Savard mobilized the community and made a request to the former mayor of Gatineau, France Belisle, that the event be held at the Maison du Citoyen. “Mayor Belisle quickly accepted the idea and even volunteered to pay for the insurance and other necessary costs,” Kasongo stated.
Since then, several partners and organizations have joined the initiative, including La Soupe Populaire de Hull, Moisson Outaouais, Réhabex, Village Transition, and Vision Centre-Ville, so that the project can continue to take shape. The event is also funded by local elected officials, private businesses, and residents.
Kasongo invites the public to donate generously. “We don't yet know where people will be able to drop off donations, but we will have a meeting next week to discuss it,” he said. It will also be possible to go directly to the Maison du Citoyen during the event for those who wish to offer something to the families. “I would like to thank everyone for their participation and support.”
To participate in the Community Christmas Dinner, people can go directly to the Agora Gilles-Rocheleau at the Maison du Citoyen. No registration is required.