Souls Harbour Rescue Mission is celebrating Easter with three new locations across Nova Scotia, as Dartmouth, Yarmouth, and New Waterford host their first Easter meals for those in need, helping thousands feel supported during one of the organization’s busiest weekends of the year.
Souls Harbour Rescue Mission Easter meal April 6, 2026. PHOTO: NATALIE CHIASSON/ACADIA BROADCASTING
In Dartmouth, staff say they expect to see about 50 people a day. Guests find their seats, receive raffle tickets, and are served either plated or buffet‑style depending on location.
“If you don’t have a place to go have a big family dinner, you come and have your big dinner with us,” says Chief Program Officer Marni Yuke.
The “SoulsMobile”; Souls Harbour Rescue Mission mobile unit. PHOTO: NATALIE CHIASSON/ACADIA BROADCASTING
The Souls Harbour’s Mobile Mission team, along with CARE’s team, are bringing Easter into encampments. Yuke says teams dyed about 600 eggs at their downtown location for Easter weekend, calling them “protein power Easter eggs.”
Yuke says, “I think it just brings a smile to their face. We pass out hard‑boiled eggs and food and things all the time, but this is just a unique way to bring a different smile to them and brighten their day in a fun, loving way.”
Souls Harbour Rescue Mission Easter eggs April 6, 2026. PHOTO: NATALIE CHIASSON/ACADIA BROADCASTING
According to organizers, Souls Harbour currently serves about 12,000 to 15,000 meals a month across Nova Scotia, with many guests relying on daily meals and demand rising as food costs climb.
“We are watching our food bills go up, you know, substantially,” says Yuke. The organization is stretching every dollar by buying in bulk, planning simpler menus, and relying on donations of food, clothing, and funds. However, Yuke says inflation isn’t stopping Souls Harbour from providing the best quality possible.
“We’re trying to make our portion sizes a little bit bigger because we know people aren’t eating as much potentially at home,” she explains. “We’re trying to be very intentional about what we’re buying and then buying in big bulk quantities … so that we can make the food go further even though the cost of food is going up.”
Souls Harbour Rescue Mission Easter meal April 6, 2026. PHOTO: NATALIE CHIASSON/ACADIA BROADCASTING
Souls Harbour also cuts waste by serving flexible, buffet‑style meals and using staff knowledge of guest preferences.
Yuke says that staff and volunteers know their guests very well, so if they know who’s coming in they can plan ahead. “The volunteers and the staff know so‑and‑so’s here, they’re not having any potatoes, and so we know not to put potatoes on their plate because we don’t want to waste where someone else can eat it.”
She adds that at every location, guests can take home extras such as bread from donations.
“Cobs is a big supporter of us so we pick up bread donations every night and we spread them among the locations,” Yuke explains, “so that if they come and eat a meal with us, but they also can take some bread home or other food items, it’s not just one meal—it’s usually a meal and something to go just to get through till the next day.”
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