The Downtown Mission in Windsor is struggling to deal with the COVID-19 global pandemic and social distancing.
People across Canada are being advised to maintain space between themselves and others to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Executive Director Ron Dunn says the mission has a pandemic plan in place, but the problem is its execution.
Dunn told AM800's The Dan MacDonald Show that there is limited time and space to feed the hungry, and social distancing isn't possible for some groups.
"How do you do social distancing when I'm going to have 300 people for lunch? I don't have the staff, or the resources or financial resources to space out the lunch by allowing only so many people in at a time," he said.
The Downtown Mission's Easter Luncheon on Victoria Ave. near Wyandotte St. W. in Windsor on Sunday April 21, 2019. (Photo by AM800's Gord Bacon)
Dunn says social distancing is challenging when it comes to dealing with the homeless.
"What do we do with them at night? So if I'm going to separate them during the day, I can't separate them at night currently, so why bother is where it is at," he said.
Dunn says the homeless just want to be fed.
"Our volunteers, many of them have already pulled out of their shifts, they are staying home as they should in a responsible fashion. But we are doing everything we can to stay open because that is the plan right now," he said.
Dunn says about six staff have offered to move to the mission, if necessary, to keep the operation running.
Group gatherings and non-essential services will be put on hold to allow for the safe continuation of essential services at the mission.