Glenwood cafe saves the day for homeless people
When the city closed down homeless shelters, more people were left with no place to get food.
SAVIOR Cafe in Glenwood has been distributing free food and tea to homeless people since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic last year.
“I have always had a heart for people, when we started this business it wasn’t just about making a profit but also being in community where we live with the people around us,” said Glenwood resident, Nicky Pienaar, who owns the restaurant along with her husband, Max.
“When this pandemic happened, we were shut (down) for a month and we got approached by a couple we know, who run a church, about contributing in helping feed at the (homeless) camps by cooking the food here (at the restaurant) and we said we were in.”
During level 5 of the lockdown last year, homeless people were housed by the city in make-shift shelters.
The shelters were eventually all closed down late last year, leading to many homeless people going back into the streets.
Pienaar said they started feeding about 10 people but now that number has ballooned to 60 as the economic crisis deepens across the city.
Despite the growing number, Pienaar said it would not feel right to stop now as more people need the food.
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“Most of the people we feed are not necessarily homeless but they have just been put in a situation where they lost their jobs. Some of them have places to stay but money is a problem,” she said.
Pienaar said the Love in Action: Glenwood programme is made possible by donations from many generous people.
One of those people is Casandra Schnoor, a Glenwood resident who volunteers her time and marketing skills to the programme.
“Since I started helping, I became more aware that they are actually just people too. I was driving one day and saw someone on the streets who I recognised, and we greeted each other. It breaks down the mindset we have about homeless people,” she said.
Pienaar said she was not worried about her restaurant being associated with homeless people.
“We have feedings in the morning from 6am to 8am before the restaurant opens and then at 5pm in the afternoon. We have had no incidents except maybe one customer but everyone is accepting of what we do here.”
Pienaar said if people want to assist, they can start by helping people near their own communities.
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