Before COVID-19, Stacy Kelly’s role in The 519 focused on raising money for the charitable organization’s efforts to support the LGBTQ community in Toronto.
Now The 519’s director of philanthropy and Artsci’93 grad is on the frontlines once a week handing out meals and supplies to hundreds of people, trying his best to help as people struggle to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Handing out food can be very moving,” says Mr. Kelly, who works from home the other four days of the work week. “You have that brief moment of time with each person, so you want to let them know that we care.”
While The 519 targets its efforts at supporting the LGBTQ community, the meal program is open to everyone in the community. It used to offer free meals three times a week. Since the pandemic, it has expanded to seven days a week. At first, they were seeing 60 community members and now they serve about 200 people daily.
But Mr. Kelly’s work focuses on more than food. He will ask each person how they are doing and if they need anything else – including clothes, toiletry kits, or help finding other critical resources, including shelter.
Mr. Kelly says a positive aspect of being on the frontlines is feeling inspired by seeing the impact The 519 food program is having on people.
“I’ve seen the gratitude, the emotion, the appreciation,” says Mr. Kelly. “I have always known we are making an impact but I see it in their faces now.”
Many Canadians have been impacted by the pandemic, but Mr. Kelly notes the LGBTQ community has been affected in unique ways and The 519 is trying to help with those distinctive challenges.
A trans person facing housing challenges, for instance, struggles harder than the average person to find a safe place to stay because there is a lot of transphobia in local shelters. Mr. Kelly says The 519 tries to help people find trans-friendly housing options.
As well, physical isolation for some members of the LGBTQ community can be a problem even when there isn’t a pandemic. Some people who come out as gay are shunned by family members due to homophobia, and many older queer and trans people do not have children.
Both scenarios result in no extended family to lean on during a crisis. The 519 is responding by starting a program to phone and check in on anyone who feels isolated.
Normally The 519 hosts many support groups and community events, but with the doors closed, the safe space for the LGBTQ community is gone. Mr. Kelly says the organization is trying to pivot and offer their services online and by phone when possible.
