Latest news with #communitymeals
CBC
24-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Pilot project that provides community meals for P.E.I. seniors extended another year
Social Sharing Prince Edward Island is once again funding community meals for seniors after a successful start to its pilot project last year, the province's minister of social development and seniors says. First launched in 2024, the project provides grants of up to $5,000 so groups can host free community meal events for seniors. While still considered to be a pilot program, the reception has been positive so far, said P.E.I. Social Development and Seniors Minister Barb Ramsay. "The last thing that we want is for seniors to be home isolating and not getting out and… enjoying the summer months," Ramsay said, noting that the program will continue running into the fall and winter. "Any way we can bring seniors together and allow them to have some enjoyment is what the intention is." The province will spend $161,000 to support community meals hosted by 41 organizations across the Island, she said. The grants are intended for a dual purpose — to ease food insecurity among seniors, but also to address social isolation. Numbers from 2021 show that at least 6,000 seniors on P.E.I. were living below the poverty line at that time, and that was before steep increases in the cost of living. 'So important to them' Summerside's Parkview Senior Citizens Club launched the first of this year's provincially funded community meals with an outdoor ceilidh Wednesday afternoon. About 100 people gathered for live music and barbequed burgers. "Funding is always tight to get," said Gordie Whitlock, vice-president of the club. "Seniors don't tend to go out and fundraise a lot of money… so when the province steps up to the plate and provides opportunities like this, we obviously want to take advantage of it." Whitlock said the seniors club — which includes over 200 members — has worked hard since the COVID-19 pandemic to organize social activities for seniors. "One of the biggest problems seniors face is isolation and a lack of things to do, so this club is very important to a lot of senior citizens and things like this are just so important to them," he said. "It's just important that we allow seniors to come out and socialize and have fun, and this is a good example of that."
CTV News
23-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
P.E.I. approves funding for communal meals for seniors
Several organizations in P.E.I. have been approved for more than $160,000 from the provincial government to host free community meals for seniors. The provincial government made the announcement on Wednesday, saying a total of 41 organizations have been approved for funding through the Department of Social Development and Seniors. 'Our department is committed to improving the quality of life for older Islanders, reducing social isolation, and helping seniors better connect with their communities and peers,' said Social Development and Seniors Minister Barb Ramsay. 'These meals are a great way for older Islanders to visit with friends and neighbours while enjoying a delicious meal, and wonderful hospitality provided by these outstanding community organizations.' A pilot program was launched in 2024 called the provided funding to organizations to host these free communal meals for seniors in hopes of reducing social isolation and supporting meals for older Islanders. The province says the pilot was well received by the public, leading to the program being offered for another year with grants of up to $5,000 being awarded in June. 'We see first-hand the positive impact these meals create, and how healthy it is for seniors to be interacting with their peers and having a good time,' said the chair of the Parkview Senior Citizens Club Jim Steele. 'We are proud to partner with the province to deliver these community meals.' The province says it is also developing a new five-year Seniors Action Plan which will recommend measures in hopes of helping address the needs of P.E.I.'s aging population which the province expects to be released in the fall this year. For more P.E.I. news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Big E Trust grants power up West Springfield's community programs
WEST SPRINGFIELD ― From robotics to baseball to community meals, 34 local groups are getting a boost from The Big E Trust, an initiative that supports programs making a difference in the community. The grant funding will help the town run events, buy supplies, and support local projects that make it a better place to live. Awardees this year include the West Springfield High School Robotics Team, the Wildcats Youth Baseball League and the Parish Cupboard. The grant committee includes West Springfield resident Mary Powers, CEO and President of the Eastern States Exposition Gene Cassidy, and Mayor William Reichelt, who announced the winners on Wednesday. Reichelt said the grant shows how strong the partnership is between West Springfield and the Eastern States Exposition. 'These grants allow us to invest directly into the heart of our community, supporting incredible programs and organizations that enrich the lives of our residents, from youth development to cultural preservation and critical social services. I am immensely proud of the diverse and impactful projects that will come to life through this funding,' he said. The committee said it looked closely at many applications and chose the ones that best matched the grant's goal of strengthening the community. Applications for the annual funding opened in March and closed in May. Read the original article on MassLive. Solve the daily Crossword
Times
03-07-2025
- Business
- Times
Don't be afraid to be ambitious, whatever that looks like for you
As one of the UK's youngest CEOs, Sophie Tebbetts took charge of charity FoodCycle aged just 34. The organisation helps transform surplus food into healthy meals in a community setting helps guests save on food and electricity bills. Here are Sophie's tips to gain your own place at the table. 1. People often undervalue what they are capable of. Don't be afraid to be ambitious, whatever that looks like for you. If the worst outcome is that you tried and learnt a lot, then that ambition has paid off. 2. Don't let perfection stop progress. Plans are important but don't be too rigid. Trying to devise a 'perfect plan' can sometimes stop you getting started. Moving forward allows you to learn, which will lead to better outcomes. 3. Community is essential. Strong support networks are so important for wellbeing. Creating a culture where staff feel supported and part of a community with shared values creates environments where people can learn from each other and develop ideas. 4. Everybody eats — find a connection. Discovering those points of commonality with people allows you to build open relationships, sparking ideas and challenging your own assumptions. 5. Have a laugh, it's not all about work. Try to inject humour where you can and remember smiles are infectious. Allow employees to balance their own personal and professional responsibilities. It shows that you recognise life outside of work is important, which builds trust and loyalty. 6. Listening is underrated. You'll get the best insight into your operations by listening to people you interact with, whether that's colleagues, beneficiaries or stakeholders.
Irish Times
05-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
AIB-FoodCloud partnership has prevented 15,000 tonnes of food from going to waste
A partnership between AIB and the FoodCloud charity has helped to redistribute 15,000 tonnes of food, preventing it from becoming waste. FoodCloud, which tackles food waste and food insecurity by giving surplus food to charities and community groups, joined with AIB for a new community meals programme last year. In its first 12 months, the programme has served more than 5,000 ready-to-eat meals to people in need. Aoibheann O'Brien, FoodCloud co-founder and director of development, described the initiative as 'a powerful evolution of our mission to ensure no good food goes to waste'. READ MORE 'With AIB's support, we're reaching more charities and community groups across Ireland at a time when food insecurity is growing as the cost of living continues to rise,' she said. The non-profit said that adding prepared meals to its redistribution network had increased the impact of the programme by enabling charities with limited cooking capacity to benefit from the scheme. FoodCloud worked with suppliers such as Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, Musgrave Group and BWG Foods to prevent 2,558 tonnes of food going to waste last year. A total of 2,147 tonnes of food was redistributed the year prior. Cumulatively the scheme has prevented more than 15,000 tonnes of food from going to waste. A survey of its 209 charity partners showed that 94 per cent found that the surplus food allowed them to support more people. And 74 per cent said it allowed them to offer more services, a 5 per cent increase on the year before. As many as 70 per cent of FoodCloud's partnered charities said they used all the surplus food. FoodCloud said the partnership between itself and AIB has overall helped redistribute 15,162 tonnes of food. The figure is the equivalent of feeding the population of Ireland nearly seven times, preventing about 50,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. AIB corporate affairs director Barry Field said the company was proud to support the AIB FoodCloud Community Meals Programme, which he said aligned with the company's 'commitment to fostering sustainable communities and reducing food waste'. He said: 'By collaborating with FoodCloud, we are helping to ensure that surplus food reaches those who need it most.' Mr Field also commended volunteers who contributed to the programme.
