day at the depot: photo edition

So here is the (not so) long awaited photo edition. Unfortunately Vineeth and Bonnie were not present today for my "Surprise, I'm taking a photo of you!" routine, but they will both make an appearance soon. Until then, you can imagine them as you would people with no Facebook profile picture, a shadowy blue outline with a question mark on his and her face.


The entrance to the Depot.


Wendy, the Volunteer Coordinator and surrogate grandmother to more than a few of the clients and volunteers.


Fiona, the Executive Director. Definitely one of the most laid back yet hardworking people I have ever met.


Colin, a regular volunteer at the Depot and jack of all trades. His resume is quite possibly 5 pages long.


Max (full name: Maximo). I've only been working here for about a month, but he gets Most Adorable and Endearing Volunteer Award. His aging Italian mother calls the Depot often while he is volunteering, to tell him that he needs to fix the television or get married (well, I don't know about the second one, but that's what I imagine she is saying to him). Of course they converse in Italian, to my great amusement.


A terribly blurry picture of the distribution area.


Storage room.


My desk. It looks really messy and terribly disorganized, but there is an order to the madness. And for what it's worth, I don't know who put the roll of paper towels there. It is definitely not my doing.


This is Christy, who does reception during service hours, which includes giving referrals to people who are not within the Depot service area (which is determined by residential postal code), orienting first time clients, and generally keeping order within the waiting area. She also reads palms- apparently, my love life and finances will be very good. I guess I can stop worrying about ending up on St.Catherine with a cardboard sign that reads: "McGill graduate: will write/edit political science papers for food."


Alex, a volunteer, is doing intake here. Basically a client goes in, gives his/her file number, shows ID, and states his/her preferences. It sounds simple enough, but I was a disaster the first time. I am now much better at intake.


Wendy and Romney discussing important distribution matters....or the season finale of Gossip Girl. It really is discussion worthy.


Volunteers hard at work.


Putting together the food baskets.


The basic "menu" for each food basket, according to the number of people.


Wendy loves to sit with the clients, especially the kids during service hours.


Clement Yung, a regular client at the Depot. His house burned down about three years ago, and with it 40 000 books. A bunch of Concordia students made a short documentary about him and his bibliomania, and captured his apartment in all its cramped glory before it burned down. He is one of the most colorful characters I have met so far in Montreal, by far. A delightful eccentric.

Et voila. Until next time, friends and fellow idlers.