Hundreds of Edmonton’s low income and homeless population show up at the Mustard Seed Church six evenings a week for a warm meal.
June Culbertson is one of those people. The 63-year-old aboriginal grandmother not only comes by for the food and the friendship, she also works part-time at the church as a cleaning lady.
Between her part-time job and her monthly allowance from the government, she barely has enough money to pay for her home, her bills and put food on the table. If she were by herself, that would be one thing, but Culbertson is raising five grandchildren, making it very difficult to get by.
“I try my best,” Culbertson said. “I get very tired and sometimes I feel like giving up, but I don’t give up, I just keep going because I’m doing it for them. They’re my life.”
Culbertson’s grandchildren are between the ages of four and 16.
“They only have me and they’ve had a really tough life,” she said. “I try to do it on my own but when it gets really difficult I know I can come here and get help.”
Culbertson gets help from the Mustard Seed from time-to-time when she needs bread or something to feed her grandchildren. But even though she’s clearly in a position where she needs help, she knows it’s give and take.
“I’ve been volunteering here for a long time … I don’t feel so bad for taking,” she said.
“Sometimes I don’t know how I make it but I make it. It’s because I have faith and I know someone is watching over me.”
“And this place,” she added, looking around. “This place helps me out, a lot.”
