Santropol Roulant
Encyclopedia
Santropol Roulant is an award-winning community organization based in the Plateau neighbourhood of Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
. The organization uses food as a vehicle to break isolation and build bridges between individuals and generations. Unlike most meals on wheels
organizations, Santropol Roulant's staff and volunteer base consists mainly of younger people. The meals on wheels service provides 80 to 100 evening meals five days a week, prepared and delivered by over 100 volunteers. Many of the meals are delivered on foot or by bicycle to the homes of seniors and people living with a loss of autonomy.
. Their experience volunteering in traditional meals on wheels organizations led them to recognize the value in intergenerational exchange. They decided to start their own service, with young volunteers serving seniors and others living with a loss of autonomy. The café generously donated a kitchen space across the street, and to honour this donation, the founders named it Santropol Roulant, meaning Santropol on Wheels. In 2010, the organization relocated to its current address at 111 Roy est.
and Côte-des-Neiges
that require a driver and passenger, using cars provided by the Nissan Canada Foundation and Mtl Auto Prix.
Clients, who must be referred by health care or social services professionals, pay $4.50 for the balanced nutritious meals, which can be customized for a wide variety of dietary needs and preferences. The meal includes a main course, two side dishes and an "extra" - a dessert, green salad, or fruit salad. An annual calendar with the entire year's schedule of meals is published, allowing clients to order by their preferences. A meal is never repeated within a month. The money contributed by the clients covers less than half the cost of the meals.
or high school students. The organization operates bilingually.
ing 71% the kitchen waste, reducing the use of plastic bags, using organic and locally grown foods when possible, using only sustainable fish species, growing vegetables in the rooftop garden
project, encouraging the use of bicycles in the city, switching to hybrid delivery cars.
, and from fundraising initiatives and individual donations. The organization also makes use of youth employment programmes to offset the salaries of full-time employees.
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The organization uses food as a vehicle to break isolation and build bridges between individuals and generations. Unlike most meals on wheels
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels are programs that deliver meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The name is often used generically to refer to home-delivered meals programs, not all of which are actually named "Meals on Wheels"...
organizations, Santropol Roulant's staff and volunteer base consists mainly of younger people. The meals on wheels service provides 80 to 100 evening meals five days a week, prepared and delivered by over 100 volunteers. Many of the meals are delivered on foot or by bicycle to the homes of seniors and people living with a loss of autonomy.
History
Santropol Roulant was founded in 1995 by Chris Godsall, 25, and Keith Fitzpatrick, 27 who were waiters at the Café Santropol, a restaurant on Saint Urbain StreetSaint Urbain Street
St. Urbain Street is a major one-way street located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The street has historically been home to Montreal's well-established Jewish community, who settled in the area at the turn of the 20th century. Writer Mordecai Richler often documents what life was like on this street...
. Their experience volunteering in traditional meals on wheels organizations led them to recognize the value in intergenerational exchange. They decided to start their own service, with young volunteers serving seniors and others living with a loss of autonomy. The café generously donated a kitchen space across the street, and to honour this donation, the founders named it Santropol Roulant, meaning Santropol on Wheels. In 2010, the organization relocated to its current address at 111 Roy est.
Meals on Wheels
Evening meals are delivered every day of the week except Sunday and Thursday. Volunteers cook and assemble the meals in morning and afternoon kitchen shifts in time for the departure of the delivery volunteers in the mid-afternoon. There are several delivery routes for volunteers who go on foot or on bike, including Mile End, Outremont, Centre Sud, McGill, McGill West, Downtown, and Westmount. There are also two car routes, Notre-Dame-de-GrâceNotre-Dame-de-Grâce
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce , also nicknamed NDG, is a residential neighbourhood of Montreal located in the city's west-end. It is one of five districts of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce...
and Côte-des-Neiges
Côte-des-Neiges
Côte-des-Neiges is a working class neighbourhood of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, situated at the geographic center of the Island of Montreal on the western slope of Mount Royal. The neighbourhood is part of the borough Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce...
that require a driver and passenger, using cars provided by the Nissan Canada Foundation and Mtl Auto Prix.
Clients, who must be referred by health care or social services professionals, pay $4.50 for the balanced nutritious meals, which can be customized for a wide variety of dietary needs and preferences. The meal includes a main course, two side dishes and an "extra" - a dessert, green salad, or fruit salad. An annual calendar with the entire year's schedule of meals is published, allowing clients to order by their preferences. A meal is never repeated within a month. The money contributed by the clients covers less than half the cost of the meals.
Volunteers
As mentioned above, the volunteers of Santropol Roulant are primarily young Montrealers from diverse ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. Many are university, CEGEPCégep
CEGEP is an acronym for , which is literally translated as "College of General and Vocational Education" but commonly called "General and Vocational College" in circles not influenced by Quebec English. It refers to the public post-secondary education collegiate institutions exclusive to the...
or high school students. The organization operates bilingually.
Sustainability
Members of the Santropol Roulant community have long been conscious of environmental issues, but recently the organization has made sustainability a key focus. A number of initiatives have been undertaken, including vermicompostVermicompost
Vermicompost is the product or process of composting utilizing various species of worms, usually red wigglers, white worms, and earthworms to create a heterogeneous mixture of decomposing vegetable or food waste, bedding materials, and vermicast...
ing 71% the kitchen waste, reducing the use of plastic bags, using organic and locally grown foods when possible, using only sustainable fish species, growing vegetables in the rooftop garden
Roof garden
A roof garden is any garden on the roof of a building. Besides the decorative benefit, roof plantings may provide food, temperature control, hydrological benefits, architectural enhancement, habitats or corridors for wildlife, and recreational opportunities....
project, encouraging the use of bicycles in the city, switching to hybrid delivery cars.
Financing
In 2007, Santropol Roulant had revenues of $655,349 and expenses of $620,240. The bulk of revenues came from foundations and organizations, the federal and provincial governments, United WayUnited Way of Canada
United Way of Canada is the national organization for the 117 autonomous, volunteer-based United Ways across Canada. United Way campaigns raise money for local groups that address community issues and problems, and the national organization provides leadership, services and coordination to the...
, and from fundraising initiatives and individual donations. The organization also makes use of youth employment programmes to offset the salaries of full-time employees.