Blog

Nonnina’s Table has continued to support the people at Pelham Court Community Housing. Throughout 2021, Pelham Court has received lunch that was distributed to residents every week or every two weeks.
Also furniture and clothing have been distributed to families in Pelham Court as needed or requested.

Many food baskets and clothing have been given to families that have been brought to the attention of the Nonnina’s Table organization. These people were brought to us by volunteers from Oakville, Toronto, and Brampton at various times throughout the year. Many people requested diapers for babies and diapers for adults being taken care of at home.

During spring, the Ontario Trillium Foundation graciously accepted our grant proposal!

The proposal was for helping us expand our cooking and food storage capacity, to allow us to bring out more meals at cheaper costs.

As a charity, we receive a lot of food donations, and sometimes we couldn’t accept them because of our limited storage. The same can be said about taking advantage of great deals on groceries. Where would we store all that food? Well now we can!

With the grant we have purchased freezers, a fridge, and a barbecue, all thanks to the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

In December of 2020, Nonnina’s Table and COFION (Canadian Organization for the Integration of Newcomers), hosted a joint pandemic event at Scadding Court Community Centre in which 400 food hampers were given out to the public. The hampers, given out to each family, included various types of fruit and vegetables, bread, rice, pasta. In addition, each family received a large turkey. Enough food for the families to have at Christmas and many other meals and snacks. Everyone that received a hamper was very thankful and went home with a lot of food, clothing and toys for the children.
Thank you to all the volunteers for many hours of hard work sorting toys, clothing and food for the families. Without the many volunteer hours, food and money from our donors, an event this large could never take place.

During the pandemic, volunteers have spent many hours weekly, making sandwiches, soup and other delicious meals for the Pelham Park Ontario Housing Complex. This past winter and spring a minimum of 150 sandwiches have been made and distributed each week at Pelham Park.
Many food baskets have also been distributed to families for Easter and for Ramadan.
Hundreds of food items, clothing and household goods have gone out to families, in need, throughout the GTA. Volunteers from both Nonnina’s Table and COFION, pick up and deliver these items, curbside, to single clients, seniors, single parent families and other families who are unable to go to food banks. Many are socially isolated from others or have no means of transportation to pick up for themselves.
Thank you to all the volunteer drivers, volunteer cooks and to other volunteers in both organizations that keep in contact with our clients each week.
It has been extremely difficult to provide items for our clients during this pandemic. Both Nonnina’s Table and COFION hear of more and more food insecure people each week. Also a BIG thank you to food and money donors who help provide food each week.
Lastly, thank you to Joan Yim and Sue Ditrani who coordinate this effort daily and weekly. They devote many hours keeping in contact with clients, picking up food from donors, shopping and cooking as well as distributing food. Without them, this initiative would not be successful.
In May of this year (2021), delivery of meals to Pelham Court, had to be scaled back to every two weeks rather than weekly due to a shortage of funds. Bread and pastries are delivered twice weekly, though, because those two items continue to be donated each week.

Around 120 food hampers were given out!

It is never too early to teach others to help the ones in need.

Hope everyone had a Happy and Joyous Easter.

This last Friday we packaged 95 bags of food for the less fortunate and had them delivered (curbside) We gave out: cheese, bacon, chicken, sausages salad, vegetables, desserts, tshirts, and sweaters. They were so happy to receive the bags of food for Easter. Some cried for joy others told us “we never knew that people cared about us.”
With the pandemic running wild our work has increased ten folds. Families’ needs have changed. Food is just one portion of their problem, there is also mental, financial, loneliness, etc. There are days when Sue is listening to their problems for more than an hour.
This coming week we will be putting together food bags for Ramadan. We will do 35 bags. We hope to get some halal meats, beans, rice etc.
We would like to thank all of you for your time, financial support and food products. As a team we are happy with the outcome with our Easter food bags and hope our Ramadan project will be just as successful.  It is our first attempt to make food bags for Easter and Ramadan, and hope to continue doing it.
Kim please thank your Mom for allowing us to use her garage. I don’t have her email address.

keep safe and will keep in touch

joan and team

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nonnina’s Table has not been able to offer the monthly meal service since February this year. Fortunately, with donations, we have been able to make food baskets to give out to many families on a weekly basis. Below are some wonderful Thank You letters we have received.

The COVID-19 crisis this year has impacted every aspect of our lives. The main impact has been on lives of the poor and the marginalized in our society. The Nonnina’s Table organization has been affected along with everyone else.
Scadding Court Community Centre had to shut its doors which affected their numerous onsite programs as well as outreach programs. Because of this closure, Nonnina’s Table was unable to continue making and distributing meals through Scadding Court.
Joan Yim and Sue DiTrani continued putting together and giving out grocery hampers to six or seven needy families each week. These are people who are usually not eligible for the programs set up by the City of Toronto.
During the past few years Nonnina’s Table has received approximately $17,850 in donations from its supporters.
The York Heritage Quilter’s Guild have been very supportive of Nonnina’s Table initiatives. They donated many quilts to be distributed to needy clients and their children.

Nonnina’s Table is currently raffling two of the beautiful quilts from the Heritage Guild to raise money to continue the weekly grocery hamper initiative into the fall and winter. Each ticket is $10.00.
One quilt is for a child’s bed (the Cat in the Hat). The other is for an adult’s bed.
To purchase tickets please e-transfer funds to nonninas.table@gmail.com
Draw will be held September 30, 2020 on Zoom.

Unfortunately, the Nonnina’s Table Annual Gala will not take place this November due to COVID-19 and social distancing issues.
If you would like to donate money for Christmas Grocery Hampers, please e-transfer funds to nonninas.table@gmail.com. Scadding Court will issue tax receipts for any donations $50.00 and over. Please ensure you include your name and full address with your donation. Cheques should be made out to Joan Yim with “Nonnina’s Table” on the detail line.

The leadership and volunteer team of Nonnina’s Table hope that all of you are keeping safe and healthy throughout this life altering pandemic.
Thank you for the support you have given in the past and will continue to give so that our programs are able to carry on.