Meet Bobby

One day, Bobby had a home. The next day, he was sleeping in a park. Then came two nights at the airport, trying to stay warm and safe. 

For the next year, Bobby lived in the shelter system, caught in the cycle of instability that not having a safe, consistent place to go home to creates. Each day, he lined up by 3:00 PM to secure a bed for the night, only to be forced out by 7:00 AM. With all his belongings in a single bag, he spent his days at the library.

Bobby had walked past The Kettle before, assuming it was just another shelter. 

"I thought The Kettle was a shelter, but it turned out to be something more... a place for friendship. Since that first day, I kept coming back." 

At first, he came just to get out of the cold, to have a meal and to sit in peace. The Kettle provided something he desperately needed: a safe, calm space where he could escape the hectic atmosphere of the shelters. 

For over a year, he spent nearly every day there because he had to - there was nowhere else for him to go.

Slowly, The Kettle became more than a place to rest. It became his community. He found connection, trust and support. And when he shared his struggles, The Kettle's team stepped up to help. It took a full year, but with the ongoing help and encouragement from our team, Bobby secured stable housing.

Today, Bobby enjoys the freedom of having his own home. He takes pride in cooking his own meals, especially his famous homemade curry, and keeping his space clean and welcoming. 

His dreams don’t stop there though. He hopes to travel again, returning to Fiji, visiting India and maybe even buying a small house in Fiji so he can split his time between Canada and his homeland. 

"I want to buy a house in Fiji. Spend winters there, summers here and rent it out when I’m gone. That’s my goal." 

Bobby is living proof of what’s possible when people have access to safe spaces, supportive programs and a community that believes in them. 

The Kettle isn’t only a place to get a meal, it’s a place where people find stability, build connections and rediscover their sense of purpose.

With your support, The Kettle can continue to be a place where Bobby and others go beyond surviving, and begin to thrive.