Celina Symmonds, executive director of the Medicine Hat and District Food Bank reacting to a petition circulating against the Mustard Seed. (CHAT News photo).

By Alex McCuaig

Food bank severs relationship with anti-Mustard Seed petitioner

Aug 20, 2020 | 4:48 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Mustard Seed says there are a number of issues with a petition circulating against its operations, one being that it has only taken over a small number of social services that already existed in the community, some for more than a decade.

A copy of the petition reads, in part, that since the Mustard Seed has opened, “many residents of the neighbour hood (sic) have decreased property values. Not to mention the clients of this organization, are troublesome individuals.”

Mustard Seed managing director Colette Eirich says the organization amalgamated the Champion Centre and Hope Street Compassionate Ministry last year with the former operating since 2006 and the latter for a number of years.

“We would hope that there is the realization that the community should support more organizations reaching out to our vulnerable neighbours and not less,” said Eirich.

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The executive director of the Medicine Hat and District Food Bank says the organization has nothing directly to do with the petition regarding the Mustard Seed.

Celina Symmonds says the information being circulated by an individual collecting signatures for the petition incorrectly indicated the food bank’s involvement or support.

Symmonds says a volunteer with the food bank has been identified as being involved in this petition and has since had their involvement with the organization severed.

“The Medicine Hat and District Food Bank had nothing to do with this,” said Symmonds of the petition. “This survey or petition in fact talks about folks we serve in our community. It talks about not allowing certain folks into certain communities in Medicine Hat. That is not what we stand for at all and it has nothing to do with us.”

The food bank recently revealed plans to take over the former Maple Avenue Fire Hall which is located a block over from the Mustard Seed’s North Railway location.