Winnipeg girl spends 5th birthday handing out food to less fortunate

A child’s fifth birthday is usually a medley of balloons, cakes and gifts with friends.

But that’s not how Gabrielle “Happy Gabby” Lewis does things.

The five-year-old chose to spend her birthday giving back to Winnipeg’s unsheltered community.

“I just turned five. Today I come to walk, and to hand out muffins,” Gabrielle told CityNews.

“She wants to hand them out to the people down Main Street, and a few of her friends in here,” added her mother Amaya Boubard.

Twice a week, regardless of the weather, volunteers from all walks of life gather on Main Street to help the less fortunate.

Gabrielle, who often volunteers with her mother, couldn’t see herself turning five any other way, as she hit the streets with food.

Gabrielle “Happy Gabby” Lewis on a community walk on her fifth birthday on Feb. 21, 2023. (Credit: CityNews/Mike Albanese)

Boubard says the volunteers taught her to give back, and it’s now something she’ll teach future generations.

“They help us so much,” said Boubard. “They have done great things for me since I was a little girl. I was in the system myself. Now I have a job, I’m working. I’m very proud I can do these walks and I can give back the way they helped me, and maybe hopefully help other people.”

Michael McDonald, who is unsheltered, was cold and hungry on Tuesday – a frigid February morning in Winnipeg. He was all smiles receiving warm soup and clothing.

“It’s Christmas in February,” he said.

“Up and down Main, when you’re down and out and in the struggle – the struggle is real and all – and it’s blessings like this, just out of the blue, it’s great and I’m grateful for that.”

Gabrielle “Happy Gabby” Lewis on a community walk on her fifth birthday on Feb. 21, 2023. (Credit: CityNews/Mike Albanese)

‘Tears in their eyes’

Elder Morgan Fontaine, a leader of the community walks, says the walks help both the unsheltered and the volunteers begin to break cycles of generational trauma.

“The people on Main Street, when they’re being approached by a five-year-old carrying muffins that she made, there’s tears in their eyes.

“For that little girl, that’s going to play out through her whole life. So whatever trauma history there is in her family – if there is – she won’t be continuing it. And she’ll be influencing other kids in school and teachers for all of her educational years.”

The group gave food and clothing to well over 50 people in their three-block walk. The twice-a-week independent initiative is funded by donations from dedicated individuals.

“We have greeted our relatives on the street, we love them, we make relationships with them, and make sure they’ve got everything they need to survive,” said community outreach worker Mitch Bourbonniere. “And when they ask for help, we are there to help them in terms of navigating themselves off the street.”

The walks are every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:30 a.m., starting at the Community 204 building on Main Street.

Community walk to provide food for Winnipeg’s unsheltered on Feb. 21, 2023. (Credit: CityNews/Mike Albanese)