SASKATOON FRIENDSHIP INN

Every day 365 days a year guests rely on the Friendship Inn to eat. We provide a Free Meal Service offering hot nutritious breakfasts and lunches for vulnerable people from Saskatoon’s core neighborhoods and beyond who may otherwise go hungry. As of September 2023 the Inn is serving up to 1500 meals per day. Breakfast is offered between 8:00 am and 9:00 am in our Dining Room and until 9:30 am through our Take-away line averaging 350 to 400 meals daily. Lunch is served between 11:30 am and 1:00 pm in our Dining Room and continues until 1:30 pm through our Take-away line averaging 700 to 950 meals daily. We have developed a dual-delivery model where guests may have a meal in the dining room and access to an additional take-away meal on their way out. Alternatively guests may also just line-up for a take-away meal without having to sit down in the dining room. There are no qualifying criteria to eat a meal at the Inn - we operate with a ‘no questions asked’ policy to preserve the dignity of guests. We assume everyone who comes to the Inn has a need whether for food friendship or help to take a good step forward. In addition to food security the Inn offers access to washrooms water and various supports to assist guests with emergent needs or referrals primarily via our on-site community support worker. Guests of the Friendship Inn describe hunger as 'living in chaos' so we strive to treat everyone compassionately. Many guests struggle with complex health barriers which frequently include poverty; underemployment; mental health and addictions challenges; domestic violence; long-term disability; lack of safe affordable housing; underdeveloped literacy skills or intergenerational trauma. For many guests the warm welcome they receive from staff and volunteers at the Inn may be the only kindness they receive in a day. We feel strongly about creating a compassionate sense of belonging and through our services we hope to help guests feel like an important part of community and a person who has someone who cares. We feel compelled to ensure people who are vulnerable and struggling with the concerns and issues of daily life never lose this reliable consistent source of food security friendship and access to our in-house community support worker. Our staff desire to improve quality of life for every person who comes to the Inn and we strive to ensure no one is turned away or leaves hungry due to lack of resources.