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.
