Community Care Northumberland's Easter cookie fundraiser generates $16,000 for Meals on Wheels program
Northumberland County residents in need will receive 800 more nutritious meals as a result of an Easter fundraiser for Community Care Northumberland (CCN).
CCN recently announced that its Easter cookies fundraiser broke records this year, selling 800 boxes of cookies, and is making a significant impact on the community.
Through the collaborative efforts of CCN, Roda's Kitchen in Cobourg (which baked the cookies), "and the generous contributions of our community, $16,000 was raised — setting a new benchmark for support," CCN said in a media release.
"We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from our community, donors, volunteers, and the incredible team at Roda's Kitchen," said Trish Baird, CEO of CCN. "Together, we have ensured that 800 individual meals will reach residents in our community who have access to nutritious meals through Meals on Wheels."
Meals on Wheels is a cornerstone program offered by CCN, providing food to seniors and adults with disabilities who are unable to prepare meals for themselves. The funds raised through the Easter cookies fundraiser will directly contribute to the continuity and expansion of this service, "ensuring that no one in our community goes hungry," CCN noted.
"This achievement marks a significant milestone, demonstrating the power of collective action in addressing the needs of our community's most vulnerable members."
Joel Scott, CCN's director of donor relations and communications, told kawarthaNOW the success of the event this year was due to several strategies. CCN uses email marketing, social media posts, support and promotion from traditional media, and online community calendars to get the word out to the community.
"Our team does a lot of one-on-one promotion with their networks as well, and we promote the 'why' aspect heavily," Scott said. "Meals on Wheels touches thousands of people in our community, and the work our team does goes a long way in building connections throughout the community. We focus heavily on those relationships and the community responds in kind."
It helps that the cookies from Roda's Kitchen are delicious, Scott added.
CCN extends its "heartfelt gratitude to the entire Northumberland community for their unwavering support, and to Lucy at Roda's Kitchen for her exceptional dedication to this cause," said Sheri Birney, CCN's manager of nutrition services.
"We also express our deepest appreciation to our dedicated staff and volunteers whose tireless efforts have made this amazing achievement possible. Together, we have made a tangible difference in the lives of those who need it most."
Plans are already underway for next year's event.
CCN's Meals on Wheels program delivers healthy and affordable meal options to clients throughout Northumberland County. People can choose to receive hot meals, which are prepared locally and delivered several times per week at the noon hour, and/or frozen meals, which are easy to prepare and cater to several diet types.
All meals are delivered by CCN volunteers or staff members right to the client's door. In 2022-2023, CCN's Meals on Wheels program delivered 40,421 meals to 636 clients in the county.
Natalie Hamilton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, KawarthaNOW
