Inspired by grief, woman gives back to Fredericton homeless community | CBC News

Lisa Paul is no stranger to the struggles of homelessness and addiction. 

It hits close to home. Her two brothers struggled with addiction and homelessness. Anthony died in 2019, and Josh on Boxing Day of last year.

In the midst of her grief, Paul wanted to take action by giving back on the anniversary of Josh’s death by helping homeless people in Fredericton.

It started out small, with a simple Facebook post asking her neighbours in Doaktown and co-workers in Fredericton for gift cards she could distribute to those living on the streets.

“I just made a post asking for donations of Tim Hortons cards for five dollars, enough to get somebody off the street to have a coffee, a doughnut, use the bathroom, get warm,” Paul said.

Before she knew it, she had assembled 70 or 80 gift cards.

From gift cards to Christmas dinners

“After that I thought, let’s do something bigger, let’s do a meal, let’s go out and deliver them,” Paul said.

With that, the idea was born. She would make homemade Christmas dinners to hand out on Boxing Day.

Word soon got around and friends and co-workers stepped up to help. 

A local church offered its kitchen for meal prepping. A dental office in town donated toothbrushes and toothpaste. Friends sent along knit socks and hats. Even the Canadian military donated cutlery packets.

“It’s been pretty overwhelming, and emotional, but amazing,” Paul said.

After baking for the past two weekends straight and organizing the meals, she now has 130 full turkey dinners to hand out in takeout containers. 

With an estimated homeless population of roughly 100 in Fredericton, Paul’s meals will likely cover many.

Paul has friends who will help drive around and deliver the meals, along with warm clothing they’ve collected.

“I don’t know what it is, but it just kind of hit me that you need to get out and do something. It started small and now it’s really big, which is really great.”

She’s just one woman, but she rallied those around her to make a difference this Christmas.

“I try to do different things around Christmas, fundraising and stuff, the best that I can,” Paul said.

A personal connection

For Paul, it all comes back to the memory of her brothers.

She was especially close with her brother Josh, who worked at a Salvation Army in British Columbia.

“When he passed away, I got an enormous response from the people that he’s helped,” Paul said.

“Helped with addiction, helped get off the streets. He was the type of person that no matter what he was going through, he wanted to help somebody else.”

Deep down, she knows he would have been there right alongside her, handing out meals this Boxing Day.

“This would have made him happy … if he was here, he would have been on board, definitely.”

Paul said she wants to see more help for those suffering from mental illness, because she’s seen how it can lead to drug addiction and homelessness. 

She said the homeless population needs access to counselling, addiction services and education, because they’re falling through the cracks.

“People need to understand that they need help. They’re human, they need help, too.”