Volunteers help keep Salvation Army’s Warm Room open

By Matthew Morgan

BELLEVILLE – The Warm Room is more than just a place to get a meal and to get away from the cold; it’s a place that helps bring people together from all walks of life.

It’s also a place that depends on volunteers to stay open.

Todd Purvis, United Christian Broadcasters and a volunteer at the Warm Room. Photo by Matthew Morgan QNetNews

Todd Purvis, 53, from Thomasburg, south of Tweed, is one of those volunteers. He works for United Christian Broadcasting in Belleville and has volunteered at the Warm Room, on the second floor of the Salvation Army building on Pinnacle Street, for close to six years now.

“You see the need,” said Purvis.

He said that for the past two years he has been working with some of the same volunteers that started when he did. This group comes together just on Tuesday nights, but he said there are some volunteers that work other days and nights. The Warm Room is open seven days a week from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. starting in November and run until March. There are approximately 35 to 40 people who volunteer.

“There’s kind of a certain routine that goes along with it and everybody kind of has the roles that they do on a regular basis but everyone jumps in and fills in where they are needed,” said Purvis.

” It’s nice that way that people don’t need to be told or asked they just do it,” she said.

Purvis said that he and his wife have been attending the Salvation Army church for the past two years and that they’ve been involved with volunteer work in the past through the Christmas Cattle’s and the Warm Room and other different things for about five to six years.

Kaily Post, 30, Belleville, Grade 5 teacher at Prince of Wales Public School Photo by Matthew Morgan QNetNews

Kaily Post, 30, is a Grade 5 teacher at Prince of Wales Public School from Belleville and has been teaching for four years but said that she has been volunteering at the warm room for two years.

“I live around the block from the Salvation Army, so when I was driving home I saw a line up outside and I was interested in what was happening so I went in talked to them and decided to start volunteering for the warm room,” she said.”

“There are people that are in need of warm shelter and there are people that are in need of a hot meal and people in need of good companies and so they come in and that’s what we offer.”

“Usually the hot meal is already prepared by the people that are already here earlier in the day,” she said.
“We do all the sides and handle the juice, snacks, and deserts.”

Matthew Stewart, 37, Belleville, unemployed, volunteer at the Warm Room
Photo by Matthew Morgan QNetNews

Matthew Stewart, 37, from Belleville has volunteered for the past six months at both the Warm Room and Lunch Room for the past six months. He said he is currently unemployed.

“I enjoy it. I enjoy it immensely, helping out the public and doing my good deeds,” he said.
“The Warm Room is open to anyone that wishes to come inside to stay warm and get away from the cold weather and to get a nice hot and hearty meal to eat,” he said.
“I would say the age range that we see generally is about thirty to fifty.”

Ronald Fleming, 32, Belleville is one of the Warm Room’s guest. Photo by Matthew Morgan QNetNews

Danielle Williams-Fleming,33, Belleville is the wife of Ronald Fleming and is also a guest at the Warm Room. Photo by Matthew Morgan QNetNews

Ronald Fleming, 32 from Belleville, was the first in line alongside his wife Danielle Williams-Fleming, 33.
They enjoy coming to the warm room for the past four years and go every night. They also go to the ongoing daytime program Lunch Room, which shares the same location as the Warm Room.

” The food is pretty good food and its always different and some of the workers are really nice,” said Ronald Fleming.

“I visit every day and night and, it gives me somewhere to go, I just like to get out of the house and be able to talk with people and meet friends,” said Danielle Williams-Fleming.