Kelowna’s Gospel Mission applauds community partners with barbecue

Kelowna’s Gospel Mission is giving other social agencies a pat on the back with its sixth Annual Well Done Barbecue.

The Mission, found at 259 Leon Ave., hosted members of the Kelowna RCMP, Kelowna city councillors and a variety of local social agencies on Wednesday, June 8, over the lunch hour.

Randy Benson, executive director of Kelowna’s Gospel Mission, said they set out to thank other non-profits and partners in the area who have helped to improve the community over the past year.

He said Kelowna is unique, in a positive way, because community services that help the homeless put in a strong effort to work together.

“There’s a lot of communication, there’s a lot of networking and there are a lot of referrals to one another,” Benson said.

Six years ago when they recognized this, they realized it was worth commending, so they started the barbecue.

“It’s to celebrate the way we work together and to encourage one another to keep it up,” Benson said.

Partners in Community Collaboration (PICC) is a good example of organizations working together. Members of different community agencies get together to discuss common clients and plan how to best work with them so they don’t duplicate service.

“We really work hard not to work in silence but really try to communicate with one another because we’re all in the same business. We’re all trying to help the disadvantaged,” Benson said. “The more we communicate and work together the better it is.”

Kelowna’s Gospel Mission’s caseworker manager Chris Moffat said they work together on housing, withdrawal management, addictions, mental health, job training, skills training and more.

“All these agencies represent all these services our community offers. My job and the job of my team is to connect our clients with all of those community resources that we don’t offer here at the Mission,” Moffat said. “I couldn’t really do what I do without all these people.

“It’s really neat because whatever I need there is always somebody I can call.”

The barbecue also comes ahead of a Gospel Mission unveiling. Benson said their courtyard, which will be open to client use, should be completed by the end of June.