Page 8 - News On 7 June 2021
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100+ WOMEN WHO CARE QUINTE HELPING TO MAKE FOOD BANK MORE ACCESSIBLE
                 Published by: InQuinte.ca News

         The Helping Hands Food Bank in Madoc is going to be more accessible to those in need thanks to a donation from 100+ Women
         Who Care Quinte.  The philanthropic group that has already donated nearly $240,000 to community charities came back from a
         year hiatus Wednesday night because they knew their community needed their support more now than ever before.
         There were 80 women gathered online on a virtual Zoom call and the majority voted to donate to the Central Hastings Support
         Network  in  Madoc  that  operates  the  foodbank  and  Central  Hastings  Transit.      “We  are  just  blown  away,”  said  Sally  Gale,
         executive director following the vote. “There are so many needing organizations that get nominated…how do you choose? We
         are happy that people chose us.”   The three nominated charities that presented were The Central Hastings Support Network,
         The  Children’s  Safety  Village  and  Volunteer  and  Information  Quinte.  Once  representatives  from  each  charity  provided
         information about their initiatives, the members made an informed vote.


         The Central Hastings Support Network offers food, transportation and income tax services
         to those suffering from a lack of resources, poverty, age, disability, or a vulnerability that
         impedes their participation in the greater community. Central Hastings Transit offers on-
         demand rides to Belleville for employment and medical appointments seven days a week.
         They assist residents in Stirling, Tweed, Madoc and Marmora and Lake.
         During her presentation, Gale said it would be a huge benefit to the families they serve to
         have an accessible entrance way, a more open concept reception area with finished walls,
         ceiling and flooring. Gale said they need to get rid of the steps into the food bank which will
         make a world of difference to clients and volunteers because they will not have to negotiate
         them while carrying large parcels of food through a labyrinth of hallways and doors.

         “What a huge benefit to our staff and volunteers to have an accessible entrance to relieve the strain of carrying food boxes out
         to a client,” she said.   On food truck delivery days when they receive a truck load of food from Kawartha Food Share, Gale said
         an accessible entrance would make it much easier on staff and volunteers unloading the food. The funding will also make the
         foodbank a brighter and happier place for people to be, she added.
         “It  is  never  someone’s  best  day  when  they  have  to  come  to  the  foodbank,  so  we  just  want  to  make  the  surroundings  a  bit
         brighter and make that one part of brightening up their visit for them, she said.”  Like many other agencies, the pandemic has
         hit the agency hard with the inability to hold fundraisers. She said their donors and the local community have stepped up to the
         plate to support the network as it relies on its annual fashion show art show for key funding.
         They  have  also  had  to  reduce  many  of  their  volunteers  for  safety  reasons  which  she  said  has  put  a  lot  of  pressure  on  the
         members at the foodbank.  “Right now, clients are not choosing their own food from the shelves in the foodbank, so we are
         spending a lot of time going through a list with them to make sure they still get what they want and what they need from the
         supplies that we have.”  A total of how much will be donated to the Central Hastings Support Network will be released later. The
         next meeting is September 8, 2021.








                                                      Countree Folk Canada
                                        Did  You  Know  that  Countree  Folk  Canada  located  in
                                        Marmora is now a "Doohers Bakery Depot".   They  are
                                        looking  for  feedback  on  what  items  you  would  like  to
                                        see them carry ( what kind of Donuts, Pie's, Bread etc! )
                                        Fresh bake goods arrive first thing Friday mornings . It
                                        will  be  first  come  first  serve!  Any  cakes  or  specialty
                                        items will have to be pre-ordered.  To place your orders
                                        you can email directly -  countreefolk01@gmail.com or
                                        call 905-914-5649.
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