USS Little Rock Helps the Homeless in Montreal

A group of American sailors stuck in Montreal for the winter are pitching in to help the local community.

The U.S. Navy’s new Freedom-variant littoral combat ship, USS Little Rock (LCS 9), which was originally scheduled to sail for its home port in Mayport, Fla. after its December 2017 commissioning in Buffalo, N.Y., is spending the winter in Montreal due to worse than expected weather and ice in the St. Lawrence Seaway.

While in Montreal, the ship’s crew continues to focus on training, readiness and certifications, while also giving back to the local community through volunteer service.

On February 23, Little Rock sailors volunteered at the Welcome Hall Mission where they assisted with daily operations by bagging groceries, building chairs and packaging food for the homeless, single parents and at-risk youth.

“It was nice to give back to the community. Especially since the people of Montreal have been so welcoming and kind, as a visiting American it was nice to give back to the community,” said one of the volunteers, Operations Specialist First Class Petty Officer Aaron Huckabaa.

Throughout the day, the American sailors were able to interact with local citizens both on the side of people receiving the food and those who manage and operate the program.

“All of the people running this program were so passionate about serving the community and helping as many people as possible,” said Operations Specialist Senior Chief Petty Officer Tarius Williams. “It was shocking to see how many people they feed and support here every week.”

According to managers, Welcome Hall Mission was established in 1892 and offers support for the homeless, young single mothers, and at-risk youth in the Montreal urban community. The free grocery store provides basic food and living supplies for those in need.