Let’s get behind Planet CPU and make May 4th & 5th great GREEN DAYS!

Keep electronics out of the landfill sites – recycle through Planet CPU and help support the CW Food Bank too!

For more information look for the poster at the Centre Wellington Food Bank or visit http://www.planetcpu.com/

The Centre Wellington Food Bank is asking individuals to “Give it Up” for Hunger. This is a Canada wide campaign organised by Food Banks Canada, to help raise awareness of food need in Canada. It is the first-ever Hunger Awareness Week held in Canada and it challenges all Canadians to learn more about the issue of hunger in our communities and to take action.

For more information on Hunger Awareness Week visit www.hungerawarenessweek.ca

First comes Awareness, then a choice to educate ourselves, then a decision to take action.

“The Unexpected Guest” is playing from March 28 – April 1, 2012 at the Fergus Grand Theatre. This well-known play by Agatha Christie is produced by Vision Theatre Productions and proceeds are being donated to the Centre Wellington Food Bank.

Have an enjoyable evening at the theatre and help support the Food Bank too!

Tickets are available online at  www.fergusgrandtheatre.ca or call the box office at 519-787-1981

Show times:  March 28 – 31 at 8:00 pm and April 01 at 2:00 pm – Check the theatre to confirm play times.

The Fergus Curling Club’s “Curl for a Cause” is a fundraising event not to be missed!

The club is donating the proceeds of the event to six local charities this year – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Centre Wellington, Community Living, the Centre Wellington Food Bank, Kids Ability, the Door and Women in Crisis.

Come out on March 24th to the Fergus Curling Club and sponsor a team or just come in and make a donation, have fun and watch some great curling!

The first annual Centre Wellington Food Bank client midsummer picnic will be held August 5 from 5 to 8 pm at St. James Anglican Church located at 171 Queen Street East. For more information and reservations please call … 519 787-1401.

The Centre Wellington Food Bank wants to thank Mobile Signs Guelph for their generous donation of a mobile sign used by Cox Creek Winery during the Lobsterfest Food Bank Fundraiser.

There is Hunger in Canada

In 2010 close to 900,000 people were assisted each month by a food bank in Canada. This was 9% higher than in 2009 and 28% higher than 2008.

Thanks in large part to the effects of the recession in 2009, 72,000 people per month walked through the doors of a food bank for the first time.

There is Hunger in Canada because…

Too many Canadians do not have enough income to pay for rent, bills, clothing for growing children, transportation, medication – and food.

Food is unfortunately one of the most flexible household expenses and it is often nutrition that suffers when money is tight.

Make a Change, Make a Difference

Hunger in Canada is a significant issue.  Which is why it;s so critical to dedicate a day to talk about it and work together to make a change.

Hunger Awareness Day, May 31st, is a day for communities and individuals across Canada to take action in reducing hunger.  You can make a change, big or small, that can impact hunger in Canada.

As we approach Volunteer Appreciation Week, I always reflect on those individuals who donate their precious time to help out at the  food bank. This year I looked at my volunteers in a different light and I posed a question to myself. What if the food bank had no volunteers? Who would do all the sorting, shelving and repackaging of food? Who would help clients when they arrived to shop? Who would answer the telephone, book appointments and take messages that need to be passed on to me? Who would prepare the numerous  fully cooked wholesome meals that our clients rely on?  Who would stand outside a local business during a food drive and ask people to support the food bank? Who would pick up donated items from our donation boxes, pick up donated bread from Zehrs or go to Guelph to retrieve donated milk? I kept asking myself that question over and over again. The answer shouldn’t  (or it might) surprise you … the food bank could not function as a food bank.

I alone or with 2-3 volunteers could not make the food bank function at the level that is required to meet its mandate. Each client day on average, 8 volunteers are at the food bank selflessly making it run efficiently and smoothly. For every one hour of client shopping time it takes 10 volunteer hours to get things up and running. Over 1,500 pounds of food is handed out every client shopping day and there are 3 client shopping days every week. Every month the food bank helps over 265 people, of which 40% are children, 20% are seniors and the rest are adults. We help the retired, the unemployed, the under-employed and individuals with various disabilities. All these individuals or families have a story that might be of a recent loss of a job or  loss of a second income and it’s the volunteers that take the time to listen and help if possible with encouraging words and practical advice.

This is why volunteers are such a precious resource. They are  devoted, committed and inspired. They come from all walks of life – males and females, young and old. Without them I would be at a loss. I may be the conductor that orchestrates the operation of the food bank, but it’s the volunteers through their hard work that create the beautiful music that gives hope to life and life to hope which is what the food bank is all about. I bow to them and I deeply thank them.

I ask you to give some thought to volunteers during this volunteer appreciation week and ask yourself . . . are you ready to commit and become a volunteer?

St. James Church Community Dinner

Every year St. James Anglican Church in Fergus hosts ten community dinners which are held on the third Friday of the month. These dinners have been a feature in the community for over 12 years. Each dinner is sponsored and staffed by members of  local churches who plan, cook and host each dinner. “These ten dinners are meant to bring all segments of our community together to share in fellowship, in generosity and in spirit of compassion and tolerance that is at the true heart of the human experience,” states Brian Dowling, St. James Church liaison and board member of the Food Bank.

In this spirit of community the Centre Wellington Food Bank has become a partner with the church groups to carry on this tradition of a community dinner. Over the past year the Food Bank has planned, prepared and hosted three community dinners at St. James Church. “What better local institution than the Food Bank to fulfill this mission and carry on the tradition as we have both the means and the resources to do this. After all, we are the stewards of the community kitchen and what more appropriate way to utilize the kitchen and showcase it’s potential than to use it to serve community needs. That was the mandate of the kitchen application grant process and these dinners are a reflection of that goal being met,” states manager Fred.

Title: C.W. Food Bank Kitchen Grand Open House
Location: Centre Wellington Food Bank
Description: For the launch of the Centre Wellington Food Bank’s Commercial Kitchen, to serve the needs of the local food bank, community groups, entrepreneurs, caterers, local agencies and service clubs.

The Open house will be held at the Centre Wellington Food Bank
105 Queen St. West, Unit 12, Fergus 519-787-1401
Start Time: 16:00
Date: 2010-09-24
End Time: 19:00