MAY DAY – Reinstate the funding to the Royal City Mission

International Workers Day, as we commemorate the struggles of workers to gain rights. One of the tenets of May Day is the demand for equity and economic justice. Locally, we are now fighting on behalf of the precarious un-housed and those who are suffering an economic crisis. Until long term solutions can be found, we are asking the city of Guelph to reinstate the funding for the Royal City Mission.  

The Royal City Mission (RCM) in Guelph served over 85,000 meals last year. Almost 2,000 people access this service for not just food, but also for meaningful relationships, advocacy, assistance, and care. Last year they saw an increase of over 30% in each of their drop-in and meal programs. The number of people accessing the service was four times than they saw in 2021. The number of people who have already accessed the RCM are proving that the need for assistance is already steadily increasing this year. The RCM is a hub for other organizations to connect with those in need – from health care to housing, & everything in between. 2023 saw an increase in partnerships and RCM was able to facilitate better connections across services for our community members.

The funding for the RCM has been recently cut by more than 60%. This has caused an immediate stop to drop-ins and meals served. Without access to the services provided by the Royal City Mission there are few alternatives that are already underfunded and overburdened.

We need your help to convince Guelph city councilors to change their mind about funding. That it is imperative to the health and safety of all the people of Guelph. We ask that you take a moment to sign our petition to city councilors.