Rachel Smith, a restaurant owner in Saskatoon, has been serving hot gourmet meals to homeless people around her restaurant. Smith’s restaurant recently delivered Bannock Burger meals for those struggling near the former Prairie Harm Reduction building.

Since Prairie Harm Reduction, Saskatoon’s only supervised drug injection site, closed last month, Smith noticed an increase in overdoses and social challenges in the area around her business. Smith has personally witnessed several overdoses and has stepped in to administer Narcan to help save lives while waiting for emergency crews to arrive.

Smith owns a restaurant called Bannock Express and is known in her community for helping people, as she often gives soup and bannock to anyone who looks hungry. After seeing the situation worsen, she decided to do more and shared her idea of helping those in need with her community online. People in her community backed her with donations, and SAGE Clan Patrol joined her efforts to reach out to people in need.

This month, Smith has provided over 300 Bannock Burger meals prepared at her restaurant, complete with macaroni salad and sodas, to people in Saskatoon’s downtown core and nearby areas. Having survived homelessness herself, Smith is happy to see big smiles on the faces of those receiving the special burgers.

Source: Libby Gray, 650 CKOM