Community Care Peterborough Returns Meals to Go Fundraiser In Commemoration of 60 Years of Meals On Wheels

To celebrate 60 years of Meals on Wheels, Community Care Peterborough has announced the return of its Meals to Go fundraiser on March 26.

In Ontario, more than 68,000 people rely on Meals on Wheels, and Peterborough was home to one of Canada’s earliest programs, established just months after the country’s first. Community Care Peterborough delivers over 50,000 meals annually throughout the City and County of Peterborough. Photo by David Tuan bui.

This semi-annual event allows local businesses to enjoy lunch delivered to their workplace by dedicated Meals on Wheels volunteers to support seniors and adults with physical challenges in the community.

Each meal sold helps subsidize the cost of Meals on Wheels in Peterborough according to Community Care Peterborough.

This year’s meal features a Greek Chicken Pasta Bowl with a Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake dessert. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free alternatives are also available. The menu has been crafted in collaboration with Mapleridge Retirement Residence, which prepares hot Meals on Wheels in Peterborough.

Meals must be ordered in advance by groups of co-workers, with one representative submitting the full order. The order deadline is March 18 and orders can be placed online.

Businesses and community members are invited to donate non-perishable food items in support of the Saint Vincent De Paul Food Pantry in Peterborough. A donation collection will be available at the time of meal delivery.

Community Care Peterborough continues in our community.

“We are so grateful for the incredible support that has sustained Meals on Wheels for 60 years,” said Chris LeBlanc, Director of Donor and Public Relations at Community Care Peterborough. “It takes the entire community—businesses, volunteers, donors, and partners—to keep this essential service going. Meals to Go is a fantastic way for businesses to enjoy a great meal, support Meals on Wheels, and now, give back even more by donating non-perishable food items to help those in need.”

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Community Care Peterborough Exceeds Meals On Wheels Donation Goal On 60th Anniversary

Community Care Peterborough has exceeded its goal of 600 donated meals for Meals on Wheels clients in December during the program’s 60th anniversary, announced on Monday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Community Care says there were 634 meals donated.

“Our community’s generosity never ceases to amaze us,” said Chris LeBlanc, Community Care director of donors and public relations. “These meals ensure that our clients feel cared for and supported during the holiday season, a time that can be challenging for so many.”

The Meals on Wheels program provides nutritious meals and vital connections to seniors and adults living with physical challenges throughout Peterborough and surrounding areas.

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Community Care Peterborough Reveals New Video to Rally Support and Volunteers

Community Care Peterborough (CCP) has released a new promotional video of its services to attract volunteers and financial support to continue serving seniors, announced at their office in East City on Tuesday morning.

Catherine Pink, CCP director of support services (left) and Chris LeBlanc, CCP director of donor and public relations (right) with the “Life Changes, Community Doesn’t” being presented publicly for the first time. In 2023, Community Care Peterborough volunteers provided nearly 85,000 hours of service. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The video, ‘Life Changes, Community Doesn't,’ tells the story of a former volunteer named Sophie who uses the same services she once helped provide. The video highlights Community Care Peterborough’s programs, such as Meals on Wheels, transportation, wellness programs and support for those returning home from the hospital.

“This video reflects a powerful truth—circumstances may change as we age or face challenges, but our community is always there,” said Danielle Belair, CCP CEO. We want people to know that they play a critical role in sustaining this network of care.”

While all positions for volunteers are needed, Drivers are one of the higher priorities for CCP.

“We’re looking for roughly 30 drivers but extras are always good, explained Catherine Pink, CCP director of support services. “Every just one day a week. Every little bit helps.”

In addition to raising awareness of the organization's services, the video serves as a call to action for community members according to a press release.

Community Care Peterborough is actively seeking new volunteers to help deliver meals, provide rides to medical appointments, and offer companionship through its various wellness programs. The organization is also appealing to donors to help fund these critical services, as demand continues to grow.

“Our volunteers are the heart of what we do,” said Belair. “Without them, we wouldn’t be able to reach as many people or provide the level of care our clients deserve. We hope this video inspires others to get involved and help us keep this community strong.”

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50/50 Cash Raffle to Support Four Peterborough-area Community Groups

Profits from the Lakefield & District Lions Club’s “Collaboration 50/50 Cash Raffle” will be divided evenly between Kawartha Food Share, PRHC Foundation, Community Care Peterborough and the Lions Club.

LAKEFIELD & DISTRICT LIONS CLUB "COLLABORATION 50/50 CASH RAFFLE” POSTER

“Fundraising is always challenging, but the people of Peterborough have been very generous in helping us provide our services throughout the region,” Kawartha Food Share General Manager Ashlee Aitken said.

Lesley Heighway, President & CEO of the PRHC Foundation extended gratitude to the Lakefield & District Lions Club for organizing the fundraiser.

“Yours is a powerful example of how we all can make a real difference, close to home,” she said. “Community-led fundraisers are essential to local charities.”

Heighway states the funds will empower world-class care at PRHC by fueling innovation and bringing new services to the region.

“They’ll also support solutions to critical hospital challenges, including helping PRHC attract the best and brightest healthcare experts,” she added.

“Our mission is to support the health and wellbeing of individuals, caregivers and communities,” Danielle Belair, CEO of Community Care Peterborough said. “Our programs and services allow people across the City and County of Peterborough to maintain their independence and dignity.”

Belair goes onto say Community Care Peterborough’s programs impacted more than 6,000 seniors and adults with disabilities in 2023.

“The Lakefield & District Lions Club has been around since 1946 and we are giving back to our community through the generosity of supporters,” added club president Don Parsons.

The winning ticket will be selected on Nov. 15.

Tickets are on sale at lakefieldlions5050.ca.

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Community Care Peterborough's "Grandparent of the Year" Winners Announced

Elders were honoured at Community Care Peterborough’s 36th-annual Grandparent of the Year awards ceremony as the winners were announced at the Peterborough Public Library on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of Heather Doughty and Community Care Peterborough.

The event encouraged children from across the region of Peterborough to recognize a Grandparent, Elder or a special older person in their life.

Nearly 200 nominations from students in grades one to six were submitted including a hand-drawn picture of them with their loved ones.

This year, nominations from children in grade one were accepted; previously, it was open to grades two to six. Several dozen French applications were also received, allowing children to practice their French language skills.

“Each year we are so touched by the array of heartwarming stories we receive from across the City and County of Peterborough,” said Danielle Belair Community Care CEO.

The awards ceremony is referred to as a ‘Smiles All Around’ event.

This year, Community Care presented eight awards, with four winners and four honourable mentions awarded across two categories: Primary (grades 1 – 3) and Junior (grades 4 – 6).

Winners and Honourable Mentions by category:

In the Primary Category (English language):

• Winner – Levi Kloosterman, Grade 3, St. Teresa Catholic Elementary School – nominated his Grandpa Frank Drumm (nicknamed “Bubba”)

• Honourable Mention – Keira M, Grade 2, Edmison Heights Public School – nominated her Great Grandpa Giuseppe

In the Primary Category (French language):

• Winner – Ari Singh, Grade 2, Edmison Heights Public School – nominated his Grandma Suriakala

• Honourable Mention – Makayla Anokye, Grade 2, Edmison Heights Public School – nominated her Grandma Thy Oeun

In the Junior Category (English language):

• Winner – Kimberly Chambers, Grade 4, St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School – nominated her Nana Darlene Damiani

• Honourable Mention – Charlee Dawson, Grade 6, St. Paul Catholic Elementary School – nominated her Grandma Laraine Langley

In the Junior Category (French language):

• Winner – Owen Anderson, Grade 5, Kaawaate East City Public School – nominated his Grandma Jane Anderson

• Honourable Mention – Madi McKeiver, Grade 6, Kaawaate East City Public School – nominated her Grandma Cathy McKeiver

“Congratulations to all the winners, nominees and participants,” said Anna Graham said The Gardens of Peterborough sales and marketing coordinator. “The Gardens of Peterborough is proud to be the Title Sponsor for Grandparent of the Year Award.”

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Community Care Peterborough to Announce Grandparent of the Year Recipients Tuesday Night

Children have made their nominations and Community Care Peterborough is announcing the recipients of its 36th annual ‘Grandparent of the Year’ awards in a ceremony at the Peterborough Public Library at 6 p.m. on Tuesday night.

Photo courtesy of Community Care Peterborough.

Community Care encouraged kids to nominate someone to recognize a grandparent, elder or a special older person in their life. The children who submitted their stories are also being honoured at the ceremony.

Nearly 200 written nominations from students in grades 1 to 6 were submitted, including a hand-drawn picture of them with their loved ones. This year, nominations from children in grade one were accepted; previously, it was open to grades two to six. Additionally, several dozen French applications were received that allowed children to practice their French language skills.

“Each year we are so touched by the array of heartwarming stories we receive from across the City and County of Peterborough,” said Danielle Belair, Community Care. CEO. “We are looking forward to celebrating the children and grandparents and to learn about their unique relationships.”

Eight awards are being presented with four winners and four honourable mentions in the primary (grades 1 – 3) and junior (grades 4 – 6) categories.

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Community Care Gets Happy Feelings Receiving $136,877.45 From Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign

There was no frowning from Community Care Peterborough as they received $136,877.45 from this year’s Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign.

Several Community Care staff along with Tim Hortons owners and employees celebrated the unveiling of the funds raised during the Smile Cookie Campaign. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Local Tim Hortons owners revealed the fundraising number to Community Care staff at the Hunter Street Tim Hortons location on Thursday morning.

The campaign ran from April 29 to May 5 with all Peterborough Tim Hortons participating and locations in Curve Lake First Nation, Lakefield, Havelock and Bridgenorth.

“This is fantastic news,” said Danielle Belair, Community Care CEO. “This was truly a successful event. We couldn't have done it without all of our volunteers and with the support of the all communities in the County of Peterborough and also all of the owners of the Tim Hortons.”

The proceeds will help the Meals on Wheels program that supplies meals to seniors with disabilities who cannot cook/shop for themselves or are discharged from a hospital with limited/no help available during their recovery.

“The funds will go a long way in supporting Community Care Peterborough’s programs and services that empower seniors and adults with physical challenges, helping them to remain happy and healthy in their own homes” said Belair. “As a not-for-profit agency we rely on support from our community to keep up with the high demand for our services.”

The following were all participating Tim Hortons locations:

Peterborough

• 721 Ashburnham Dr.

• 1527 Water St.

• 1200 Lansdowne St. W.

• 336 Lansdowne St. E.

• 871 - 875 Chemong Rd.

• 157 George St. N.

• 645 Lansdowne St. W.

• 55 Park St. N.

• 81 Hunter St. E.

• 898 Monaghan Rd.

• 1781 Lansdowne St.

• 1420 Crawford Dr.

• 1901 Lansdowne St. W.

• 949 Highway 7 E.

• 110 Chandler Cres.

Lakefield

• 139 Queen St.

Bridgenorth

• 758 Ward St. N.

Curve Lake

• 1420 Mississauga St.

Havelock

• 50 Ottawa St. W.

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Nominations Open For Community Care Peterborough's 'Grandparent of the Year' to Children

City and County of Peterborough children in grades 1-6 can honour their elders through Community Care Peterborough’s 36th ‘Grandparent of the Year’ contest.

Photo courtesy of Community Care Peterborough.

Children are asked to submit a hand-drawn picture and a piece of writing that addresses what is important about their relationship with their grandparent, elder or special older person and why they think their nominee should win the award.

“Teachers in the City and County of Peterborough have a wonderful opportunity to use this contest as an inspiring writing assignment for their students,” said Danielle Belair, Community Care executive director. “We also recognize that not all teachers may know about this opportunity so we have applications available on our website. If your child is in grades one to six and not participating in their class, they are encouraged to take part.”

Grade 1 students are new to this year’s edition of the annual contest.

“Each year we are fascinated by the variety of heartwarming stories we receive,” said Belair. “Many of the honorees are indeed grandparents or great grandparents of the students however there have been a number of entries that highlight a special senior friend, elder or great Aunt or Uncle as well.”

Applications are available and are being accepted at the Peterborough Public Library, with a writing workshop planned for any students including those whose school are not participating.

The awards ceremony will take place at the Library in early June at the ‘Smiles All Around’ event. The winners and honourable mentions will have an opportunity to introduce and present the award to their Grandparent, Elder, or special older person, with photos taken by a local photographer.

A committee will select one winner and one honourable mention from each group of grades; primary and junior in both English and French categories. Primary is Grades 1, 2 and 3 and junior is Grades 4, 5 and 6.

Community Care has suggested several questions for children to think about when describing their nominee:

• What is important about their relationship with their Grandparent, Elder or special older person?

• What kinds of activities are done together?

• What kind of knowledge have they shared with the child?

• Describe a happy occasion the child and their nominee shared.

• How does their nominee make them feel when they are together?

• Why they are proud of their nominee?

• Why the child thinks their nominee should win the award?

All entries must be received by May 7. Entries may be submitted by mail to:

Community Care
185 Hunter St. E.
Peterborough, Ont.
K9H 0H1

They can also be submitted by email to Pamela Beauchamp at pbeauchamp@commcareptbo.org or online in English or French.

Winners will be announced in early June at an in-person event at the Library.

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Community Care Peterborough Launches Circle of Care Planned Giving Initiative After $91,500 Ontario Trillium Grant

Community Care Peterborough (CCP) has launched its new Circle of Care initiative to promote planned giving options after a $91,500 Resilient Communities Fund grant by the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) announced on Friday.

Andy Stevenson (left) and Peter Darling (right) are founding members of the Circle of Care Program as they marvel at the newly unveiled donor wall. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The grant was awarded last year and allows Circle of Care to promote planned giving options to support CCP’s programs and services throughout the city and County of Peterborough according to a press release.

“Community Care does so much for seniors, their families and for adults with physical challenges,” said Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP. “We recognize that this funding from OTF and the provincial government will allow the successful launch of the New Circle of Care Initiative will allow donors to contribute for years to come.”

The grant allowed CCP to engage planned giving experts, work with their expanded donor relations and communications team to design a new database system. It also guided the group in developing two newsletters showcasing each of its founding members and sharing valuable information with donors about how everyone can leave a legacy.

“Planned giving allows donors to leave a legacy,” said Danielle Belair, CCP executive director. “If a donor has been supporting our organization for years, making a bequest in their will is a powerful way to leave a lasting impact.”

The Circle of Care initiative unveiled a wall with three plaques displaying the program, its donors and members (including founding members).

“We have wanted to build our planned giving program because it is such an effective way to secure Community Care’s future and build stable revenue that allow us to continue scaling up our programs to meet the future needs of clients,” said Belair. “I want to personally thank Peter Darling and Andy Stevenson for letting us share their personal experiences with CCP with the public.”

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Community Care Peterborough Receives $74,243 From Federal Government's Community Services Recovery Fund

Community Care Peterborough (CCP) received $74,243 from the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund to hire a one year contract Program Coordinator and to enhance their existing Specialized Transportation and Access to Primary Care programs announced on Tuesday.

Photo by David Tuan bui.

The fund is a one-time $400 million investment from the Government of Canada to support community service organizations including charities, non-profits and Indigenous governing bodies, as they adapt and modernize their organizations for pandemic recovery according to a press release. It is administered by the Canadian Red Cross, Community Foundations of Canada and United Way Centraide Canada. They provide funding to Community Service Organizations including non-profit organizations, Indigenous Governing Bodies or Registered Charities located in Canada.

“As of long-term recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we welcome the Government of Canada's push for a more inclusive model of economic growth that creates opportunities for everyone in Canada,” said Danielle Belair, CCP executive director.  “We have seen an immediate improvement in our ability to respond to the growing needs of our community as we adapt to the long-term impacts of the pandemic.”

Hope Robbins joined the Community Care Peterborough team in May and took on the role of Program Coordinator of Brokered Services and Grocery Shopping and Delivery for the City of Peterborough. 

“As a result of her efforts, Hope has reduced the waiting time for our clients needing Home Help and Home Maintenance programs from three months to one month,” said Belair.  “We also had on average five to 10 clients waiting for Grocery Shopping & Delivery services each month and now there is no waiting list.”

Community Care Peterborough’s Grocery Shopping & Delivery program is for clients who can cook meals for themselves but help in getting groceries. Volunteers can either shop for a list of groceries needed or simply pick up orders prepared by the grocery store for clients who do not drive. It is an option in their food security program of Meals on Wheels that also offers prepared hot and frozen meals to residents not able to cook on their own.

“With more medical professionals now conducting their appointments in person, this funding is also helping us build back our Specialized Transportation and Access to Primary Care programs for clients,” said Belair.  “The demand remains high but our wait times are also decreasing from these services too.”

Community Care Peterborough’s Specialized Transportation program uses their accessible vans for clients whose physical needs cannot be met through their volunteer driving service.  Their Access to Primary Care program employs Personal Support Workers (PSWs) to provide transportation and accompaniment for people who require support to attend primary care and other medical appointments.  The service is for those who require assistance beyond what is offered by a volunteer driver due to mobility or cognitive limitations. PSWs can take notes during the appointment.

“We are grateful for the additional funding that we were able to access through the United Way of Peterborough & District,” said Belair.  “We didn’t stop our services during the pandemic and as we, like all health support agencies, feel the impact of increased demand and we want our clients to be able to access the services they need to remain safe and independent in their own homes and out of hospitals and long term care facilities.” 

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