Food is love. It’s what our parents gave us as children to keep us healthy, to show us they cared without saying a word. There is a warmth that comes from sitting down over a hot meal that someone made for you. There is a connection between people that comes from it. This is what Carefor’s Meal Delivery program does.

Since March 2020, the need for food security has increased tenfold in the wake of the ongoing pandemic. Many of the individuals Carefor supports in the Eastern Counties are low-income seniors and people with disabilities. This vulnerable population has been found to be even more susceptible to poor nutrition and as a result can complicate pre-existing health conditions.

Carefor stepped up to the plate and increased their Meal Delivery program capacity by over 88% to accommodate more people in the Eastern Counties. Now a year into the pandemic, the need for nutritious meals is only growing.

With over 37,633 meals prepared by the five Carefor Community Support Centres, each delivered by one of 136 dedicated volunteers who continued to donate their time during the pandemic, the Carefor Meal Delivery program continues to bring the community together.

Every year, Carefor recognizes March for Meals week, an annual Ontario Community Support Association event to increase awareness and community engagement with local Meals on Wheels providers across Ontario. Local politicians and public figures join the effort by speaking out, delivering some meals themselves, and supporting community led initiatives.

Some familiar faces clients may have seen delivering their meals include MP Eric Duncan, OPP Constable Tylor Copeland, Mayor Tony Fraser, Fire Prevention Officer Captain Terry Foley, Dr. David Flowers, South Glengarry Fire Chief Dave Robertson, and Deputy Chief James Walker.

Dianne Kuipers, Carefor’s Manager of Community Support Services shared, “Each year, Carefor joins many other organizations in shining a spotlight on its Meals Delivery program. The pandemic served to highlight exactly how the program is so much more than just a meal. My hope is that the campaign will affirm the importance of the program in our local communities. May it engage people to register for the program or to volunteer to deliver meals or to donate to offset the rising costs of food. The success of the Meals Delivery Program depends on many hands. We are all in this together!”

There are hundreds of people in your community who need your help today. You can ensure the health and safety of vulnerable members in your community by becoming a Meal Delivery volunteer or making a donation towards your local Community Support Centre.