(from left to right) Group Photo (from left to right): Jennifer Hass of Extendicare Port Hope, Volunteer Colin Brown, Deputy Mayor Les Andrews, Volunteer Marci Gallagher, Volunteer Murielle Hayward, Extendicare staff Dorie Centeno, Darleen Nassak, and Shandelle Crider and Community Care Northumberland staff, Kelly Peterson & Pam Meade
By Cecilia Nasmith
Community Care Northumberland has just wound up two exciting initiatives in support of their Meals On Wheels programming.
First the fundraiser – just in time for the Easter holiday, CCN sold 451 boxes of Easter-themed cookies from Roda's Kitchen, each containing seven individually wrapped and beautifully decorated cookies selling for $20. That works out to a total of $3,517 raised.
Second, the awareness exercise – As National Nutrition Month, March has also become the annual March For Meals Month when CCN turns the spotlight on this service and its importance. Local mayors, volunteers and other community members helped celebrate the 25th anniversary of March For Meals this year by taking a turn at delivering some of these meals for themselves.
In a typical month, CCN Community Champions deliver more than 3,000 healthy and affordable meals throughout the county. There is the option of hot meals, prepared several times each week and delivered over the noon hour, as well as frozen meals that cater to several diet types and are easy to prepare.
In the 2021-2022 year, this program delivered 31,329 meals to 900 Northumberland residents.
“The cookie fundraiser and March For Meals help to further support the nutrition needs of our clients and community member, and raise awareness about this important program,” CCN Chief Executive Officer Trish Baird said in the announcement.