No matter the weather, you can find Ryan’s Hope volunteers handing out food and warm drinks everyday to people who need them, because as a community "movement," that's what the organization says it does.
The Ryan’s Hope Breakfast-To-Go program began last February when Christine Nayler and her husband, Tom, decided to hand out some treats and coffee from Tim Hortons along with some fresh fruit. The couple headed over to a warming centre and started handing out what they had brought.
“The first day, we served maybe five people. Everyone was so grateful and said thank you and bless you for this. We were so happy to see them happy,” Nayler tells BarrieToday. “They asked if we were coming back the next day and we kind of said we would. The next day, there were 10 people because others had told their friends.”
The same question was asked — if the couple would be returning the next day. The Naylers agreed to do so and there were around 20 people this time around.
They have found a way to do it ever since.
“Our son loved to be there for people and he was a bit of an activist, so he’d love that we’re giving away free breakfasts,” Nayler says.
Ryan Nayler was 34 years old when he died of toxic drug poisoning in November 2020. While he was dealing with mental health issues, he was also dealing with drug addiction, which at one point included methamphetamine.
Nayler says she knows Ryan had a whole family supporting him and still couldn’t make it, so she wanted to help people who didn’t have the same support as her son.
“Ryan had all of us around him, supporting and trying to help. It's just horrible to think and to know there are people who don't have someone in their corner,” she says.
As an organization, Ryan’s Hope advocates for and supports people living with mental illness, substance abuse and homelessness.
Nayler says there are more than 100 people in Barrie who are unsheltered, which she says is different than unhoused.
“Unhoused means they could be couch-surfing, staying with family or even in a shelter,” she says. “Unsheltered is just what it says — they are outside, they are sleeping in the elements. It's a big problem because we’re seeing more and more people becoming unsheltered because they're losing their homes, with one reason being the housing crisis in Barrie.”
Nayler says she wasn’t worried about there being too many groups in the city who are trying to help those in need.
“Not one organization can meet the needs of everybody. You’ll hear some people say ‘well, there’s a shelter. Why don’t people just go to the shelter?’ Well, most shelters are often at capacity,” she says. “There is also the fact that some people can’t function in the shelter model due to mental health issues, trauma or that sort of thing.”
Nayler also wants to see the narrative change when it comes to describing how people handle their personal situation.
“No one chooses to be outside in a Canadian winter — it isn’t a choice. We’re only giving them two options: being in a shelter or being outside. And as I said, for some being in shelter is not their safe space,” she says.
“We need a third option and that is where Ryan’s Hope, the John Howard Society, the Gilbert Centre and other advocates are working together on having a warming centre outside of the shelter system.”
In the meantime, Nayler and volunteers from the Ryan’s Hope Breakfast-To-Go program will keep handing out food and drinks to people, especially during these cold months.
The organization is looking for space to operate in downtown Barrie that is convenient for people to get to. Having previously been at the Salvation Army, snow removal is one of the issues that caused the group to move up to the Collier Street United Church, she says.
“It's great to have that spot, but it is uphill and a little inconvenient for some of those with mobility issues, so we’re serving nearly half those we normally serve,” Nayler says. “Ideally, we’d like a space where we could prep inside; not that people would be coming and going, just our volunteers to get things ready and then hand them out outside.”
Meanwhile, the grassroots initiative continues to grow.
“Ryan’s Hope and the programs it offers has really taken off. My husband and I never thought it would get to where it is. ... This is a full-time job for me, but one I don’t get paid for,” Nayler says with a smile. “A lot of people say that this isn’t an organization but rather a movement.”
Anyone looking to donate to the Breakfast-To-Go program or help with Ryan’s Hope in any way can contact the organization at [email protected].
