OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas spoke at a barbecue in London hosted by Local 133 to raise awareness of mental health and addictions issues in the London area. “We’ve had 30, 40 people come up,” said Thomas. “They’re eating for free, because they’re homeless. So we’ve had a chance to chat with them and hear their stories. They’re homeless through no fault of their own.”
Money raised at the event will go to My Sister’s Place, a shelter for abused women and children.
“The best part was serving individuals who are homeless and came to our barbecue hungry and received free food for lunch and supper,” said Local 133 president Tischa Forster. “There’s nothing like helping others through the work that we do every day, but the gift was ours today to be able to pair up with OPSEU to give back in my hometown of London to those in need.
“Today made a difference,” Forster added. “We can only hope that the government invests in mental health, addictions and affordable housing so that every day makes a difference.”