The Cherryville Community Food Bank has worked tirelessly to grow and expand as an organization to further our reach into the community and provide a variety of community resources. We now have an ongoing senior services program staffed by Angelia Harvey who connects with senior residents on a regular basis. To date, Angelia has made 363 phone call check-ins, 98 virtual visits, 40 grocery shopping and delivery (includes going to Franks/Emporium to get items for seniors in need), 30 transportation services and a handful of prescription drop-offs. In addition, Angelia delivers pre-made meals to seniors for those who do not drive or are unable to make it for pick-up. To date, we have made and sold 755 senior meals! This service has been a huge success and we could not do it without the support of volunteers, staff, and the community hall.
Also, you may have noticed that we are increasing services to Cherryville including the Heart Health Clinic, Hearing Checks, and Foot Care. These services have been made possible through the coordination between Lumby & District Health Services, White Valley Community Resources, and Cherryville Community Food Bank and we must give a massive shout out to Lynne Frerichs who is a major driving force behind these services being present in our community, making them as accessible as possible. Additionally, we have started providing supports around applying for benefits like the BC Recovery Benefit and will continue to offer these supports as needed.
Furthermore, we have been committed to creating short-term work opportunities for our youth and community residents as we secure various grants. In the summer, we employ one to two students to maintain our Community Garden and carry out tasks as a food bank helper. We provide WHMIS and Food Safe for those who are employed and work hard to ensure participants receive a well-rounded work experience. Most recently, we will be employing a community resident to prepare and cook the senior meals for 2021. We acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction to provide this work opportunity for a Cherryville resident.
We have an incredible team of people behind the Cherryville Community Food Bank and we are excited to continuously expand and provide support as needed. If you are interested in volunteering or employment opportunities, feel free to contact us by phone or email any time. We will be posting employment opportunities as they rise throughout the community.
Lastly, our organization relies on the generous donors who support our vision and mission for meeting the needs within our community. Any amount of donation is greatly appreciated, from the bottoms of our hearts, thank you for your contribution and support.
2020…what a year! With the many challenges, worries, and hardships that transpired from this unprecedented time due to the global pandemic, so has opportunity for change, for growth, and support. In the face of so much uncertainty and adversity, our Cherryville community came together and supported one another in a powerful and meaningful way.
Organic Community Garden – we hire a local summer student to work at our community garden which yields fresh organic produce that support our community in a variety of ways. This is an incredible opportunity for our local youth to obtain employment, develop skills and abilities, work on a team of dedicated and caring staff and volunteers, and give back to their community. Summer youth are provided with WHMIS training, Food Safety Certification, and supported throughout their employment at the Cherryville Food Bank.
feeling the effects of social distancing, isolation, and loneliness. With the risks and uncertainty of a potentially deadly virus, many of the older adults were living in fear and craving social interaction. Starting off with check-in calls, socially distanced visits, and some delivery services, we reached out to as many senior residents possible. We have made 256 phone check-ins, 70 socially distanced visits, and over 30 deliveries so far! This has been an incredibly positive experience and will continue to shape our service delivery in the new year.
Pre-Made Meal Program for Seniors – as an extension to the seniors outreach services, we launched a pre-made meals program for seniors which has been a smashing success. To date, we have prepared and sold 442 meals! We look forward to resuming this meal program in the new year with the support of our incredible team of staff and volunteers. We cannot thank them enough!
October 17th, 2020 marked the pick-up day of our FIRST pre-made meals for seniors, and it rolled out absolutely wonderfully! Turkey Dinner was the meal available which came with turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables, stuffing, a bun, and dessert. All individually prepared meals are $5.00 and we successfully packaged and sold 135! This day would NOT have been possible without an incredible, hardworking, and compassionate crew of people and I would like to personally thank the following:
o Greg Cretin, a professional meat carver who graciously volunteered his time to carve all 6 turkeys!
and working together to see this vision come to fruition. With the positive feedback we have already received from seniors, families, and community members, this is clearly a need for our community and we are beyond excited to be able to offer this service. Most of the food was donated by the Cherryville Community Food Bank, some was donated by Dolman’s and without everyone who showed up to support us, this would not have been possible.
