Hadih House is anticipating an increase in demand for their food services such as hampers and daily breakfasts as the only grocery store within walking distance is slated to close within the year. Prior to the announcement from Save-On-Foods on 15th Ave, Carney Hill Neighbourhood Centre Society (CHNCS) Community Development Manager Jenessa Ellis says the demand for food has been increasing. “Our numbers are always going up, they’re never going down. We never see a decrease in people accessing food.” With the closure of the grocery store, downtown Prince George and the VLA neighbourhood will effectively become food deserts, with access to fresh food and other groceries over 2.5 kms away, an inaccessible distance for many. 

The building is situated on a residential street in VLA neighbourhood. Photo courtesy of Hadih House.

Hadih House sees 40 to 60 people a day come through their doors, accessing services such as laundry, clothing and other donations, and social programs, though those are mostly on hold due to COVID-19. Contained in a small house on a residential street, capacity is an issue. “Right now, with the funding that we are allocated and whatnot expanding is really difficult. Things like grants for renovations or expansions are hard to come by. So any of the work we have to do on the property or any expansions is really difficult and right now is not in the cards for us,” says Ellis though she acknowledges this is something Hadih House will have to tackle in the future.

Hadih House makes essential services available to low income and marginalized people, such as laundry, healthy food, and community-building. Photo courtesy of Hadih House.

Marylin Nelson, manager of Hadih House, helps coordinate the space and though they don’t have regular volunteers, they say the community is very supportive, helping shovel snow and pick up garbage when needed. ‘Hadih’ means ‘hello’ or ‘welcome’ in the Dakelh language, and the space serves as a centre of community for those in the VLA, a neighbourhood with a high concentration of people living in poverty. In a heavily stigmatized neighbourhood, Ellis says “I think the biggest thing for us is just to remind people that everyone is human and treat everyone with kindness and don't judge a book by its cover. Just I think we need a bit more of that right now, just to be kind.”

Listen to the interview on CFUR-FM: