Suzi Home Maker And Kawartha Food Share Join Move For Hunger To Help Provide Meals For Those In Need

Suzi Home Maker, a Downsizing and Senior Specialty Move Manager, and Kawartha Food Share have announced that they have joined Move For Hunger, a national hunger relief non-profit organization, to help provide meals to those in need in Peterborough.

Ashlee Aitken and Susan Dunkley at Kawartha Food Share. Photo courtesy of Susan Dunkley.

"We're extremely fortunate and appreciative to join such a much-needed cause," said Susan Dunkley, owner of Suzi Home Maker. "The sustainable donation process that Move For Hunger undertakes is quite extraordinary. With this partnership, we look forward to having the ability to do our part in getting food delivered to those who need it most. I would also encourage all moving companies and relocation specialists to consider joining this great cause.”

Move For Hunger has provided over 27 million pounds of food, equaling nearly 23 million meals, to food pantries across the United States and Canada.

“We are so thrilled to be partnering with Suzi Home Maker and Move for Hunger to help tackle food waste that results from moving and provide those food items to community members needing our support,” said Ashlee Aitken, General Manager, Kawartha Food Share. “With over 9,000 clients using our food banks and meal programs each month, even the smallest of donations makes a large impact. We’re so thankful to be a part of this incredible opportunity.”

Since its founding in 2009, Move for Hunger has created a sustainable way for people to donate food. Move For Hunger now has a network of over 1,100 moving companies, including many of the world’s leading relocation management companies, and more than 2,600 multi-family apartment communities, all helping to fight to end hunger by collecting food items and delivering them to local food banks in the United States and Canada.

“We are delighted to have Suzi Home Maker as part of our network”, said Adam Lowy, Executive Director and Founder of Move for Hunger. “We’re mobilizing an entire industry to rally around the same cause. With our continued support, we are one step closer to ending hunger. We are equally delighted to welcome Kawartha Food Share as a recipient of this program.”

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Kawartha Food Share Receives 5,000 Pounds of Potatoes From Local Organizations

Roughly 5,000 pounds of P.E.I. potatoes travelled across the country to Kawartha Food Share from the Rotary Club of Peterborough and McWilliams Moving & Storage to help feed the community facing food insecurities.

Ashlee Aitken, Kawartha Food Share general manager in front of roughly 50 bags of donated potatoes totalling 5,000 pounds. The P.E.I. potatoes had been an export ban on fresh produce since the end of November. Farmers there have been forced to discard millions of pounds of potatoes. Photo courtesy of Kawartha Food Share.

The new joint effort Peterborough Kawartha, Second Harvest Canada and with support from the Government of Canada got the 500 10-pound bags of potatoes to Kawartha Food share.

Second Harvest arranged for a trailer full of potatoes to be delivered to Barrie. Dan McWilliams of McWilliams Moving & Storage picked up the potatoes and brought them to back Peterborough.

It’s estimated that the potatoes purchased by the Canadian Government will help 9,000 individuals using the food banks within the community.

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Wolfe Lawyers to Match Community Donations for Kawartha Food Share's "Feed the Need" Campaign

To help against the hardships the COVID-19 pandemic has left people lacking in basic needs, Wolfe Lawyers will match up to $5,000 in community donations towards Kawartha Food Share’s (KFS) “Feed the Need“ campaign announced Tuesday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The fundraiser runs from Feb. 1 to 21 as KFS, Wolfe Lawyers and Corus Entertainment (The Wolf 101.5 and Fresh Radio 100.5) urge the community to donate online.

One dollar becomes six dollars of buying power for much-needed food items to help support the community according to KFS.

KFS will purchase the required goods from the fundraising money and distribute them to their 36 member agencies.

The charity ran the event last year from Dec. 14, 2020 to Jan. 3, 2021 raising $27,450. Wolfe Lawyers matched the maximum $5,000 donation to help KFS with $164,700 of buying power.

If you wish to donate to “Feed the Need,” click here.

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Local Creamery Fills the Truck With Over 5,000 Pounds of Goods For Local Food Bank

After roughly 5,000 pounds of food and $9363.50 later, Central Smith Creamery’s “Fill the Truck” campaign was a success in making their donation to Kawartha Food Share (KFS) on Friday.

(from left to right) Jenn Scates, Central Smith Creamery co-owner; Ashlee Aitken, Kawartha Food Share general manager; Ian Scates, Central Smith Creamery co-owner and Derek Fraser, Central Smith Creamer truck driver piled among the totes and bins of the food collections from over 40 different businesses. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The Selwyn creamery asked over 20 businesses to be drop-off locations for the collected goods from Nov. 26 to Dec. 17. Once the campaign caught on, it quickly grew to over 40 participating businesses and organizations.

“The Women’s Business Network (of Peterborough) was a big help in getting it up to 40 as well as our network of people in the height of the pandemic,” explained Jenn Scates, Central Smith Creamery co-owner. “We reached out to local businesses and highlighted them in our reel and we just reached out to those people again and asked if they wanted to be on board and many of those people jumped into this.”

@ptbo_canada

@central_smith is helping others have a wonderful Christmas Time with their food drive for Kawartha Food Share! ##wonderfulchristmastime ##fooddrive

♬ Wonderful Christmastime - Edited Version / Remastered 2011 - Paul McCartney

Scates along with husband and co-owner Ian highlighted notable donors such as Kawartha Metals Corporation donating $5,000, Kawartha Orthodontics matching the cash donations made at the Creamery dollar for dollar and Chemong Public School organized their own food drive to contribute. The couple was grateful to all participants in the campaign.

When Central Smith dropped off the goods to KFS, Ashlee Aitken, KFS general manager believes that the total goods could weigh more than 5,000 pounds. An official weight will be determined over the weekend.

"I had full expectations that they would fill the truck but seeing it here in person and fill it to the brim is just absolutely insane," she said.

The food will be distributed to 37 food agencies affiliated with KFS. Donated toys will be given to the Salvation Army.

“It's exciting to be a part of Peterborough and we've always said it's one of the most generous communities that anyone could live in," said Ian. "We feel so grateful and fortunate to be a part of it."

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Ice Cream Parlour Challenges Community To Fill Their Truck For Local Food Bank

One of Central Smith Creamery’s trucks will be filled with non-perishable food instead of ice cream for three weeks as they and over 20 other businesses, schools and organizations are gathering items for Kawartha Food Share beginning Friday.

Steve Paul, logistics manager (pictured) has been working for Central Smith Creamery for the past seven years. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The local creamery is challenging the community to drop off any non-perishable goods to any participating location in the Peterborough and surrounding area from Nov. 26 to Dec. 17. Residents can also drop their items at Central Smith.

On the final day, the Selwyn-based business will collect the goods from each drop-off spot and deliver them to Kawartha Food Share.

The following is a list of participating businesses:

• Modern Makers Market

• Hanoi House

• Taso’s

• SOS Save Our Soles

• Apollo Grill

• The Pizza Factory

• Two Dishes Cookshop

• Jesse’s Tap & Grill

• Kawartha Buttertart Factory

• Great Canadian RV

• Flossophy

• Ennismore Eagles

• Applewood Retirement Residence

• Nateure’s Plate

• Chemong Public School

• Women’s Business Network of Peterborough

• McWilliams Moving & Storage Ltd.

• Hi Ho Silver

• Kia Peterborough

• Full Tilt Cycle

• Dan Joyce Clothing

• Sullivan Law

• Publican House Brewery

• Style Boutique

• Holiday Inn

• Lakefield Herald

• Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce

Some businesses may not be able to hold and store the donated items and can ask for monetary donations instead.

Peppermint Bark is one of the featured ice cream flavours for Central Smith during the holiday season. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The food drive is a part of an annual community event the creamery runs during the holiday season.

“We always do something every year for Christmas time,” said Jillian Scates, Central Smith project manager. “We did a toy drive the year before. We thought this year we would do something for the community, challenge other businesses to get involved and donate during the holiday season.”

The following are the non-perishable food items that are being requested:

• Cereal

• Beans and Legumes

• Peanut Butter

• Rice Pasta Granola Bars

• Canned Vegetables

• Canned Fruit

• Soup

• Pasta Sauce

• Chili

• Children's Snacks

• Stews Oats

• Canned Meats

• Condiments

• Spices

• Broth / Stock

• Cooking Oil

• Juices

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Second Annual Winter is Coming Food Drive Launches in Peterborough

Dave Smith, MPP for Peterborough-Kawartha, Ashlee Aiken, General Manager of Kawartha Food Share and J. Murray Jones, Warden of Peterborough County, announced the launch of the second annual Winter is Coming Food Drive on Nov. 4.

(LEFT TO RIGHT) MURRAY JONES, ASHLEE AITKEN AND DAVE SMITH AT KAWARTHA FOOD SHARE. KFS DISTRIBUTES 150,000-200,000 POUNDS OF FOOD IN A MONTH WHICH FEEDS OVER 9,000 INDIVIDUALS. PHOTO BY DAVID TUAN BUI.

Last year, the Winter is Coming Food Drive collected thousands of pounds of non-perishable food items and cash donations for food banks in Apsley, Lakefield, Havelock, Lakefield, Bridgenorth and Buckhorn.

Following that, MPP Smith held a separate drive, the Spread the Warmth Clothing Campaign, collecting enough socks, gloves, toques, and underwear to supply the needs of the Brock Mission, Cameron House and Yes Shelter last winter.

The Winter is Coming Campaign 2021 will incorporate the Spread the Warmth Clothing Campaign for Peterborough’s shelter system.

“We know that between Thanksgiving and Christmas, there’s a drop in donations to food banks and shelters, but the need doesn’t drop,” said Smith. “That’s why we do this, to fill the gaps in resources for our most vulnerable individuals. Our community displayed an incredible level of compassion and community throughout these last 18 months, caring for neighbours, friends, and loved ones. I am confident we can build on that sense of community and fill our food banks and shelters over the next month.”

Photo courtesy of Dave Smith.

“So many of us are blessed with a warm roof over our head and meals when we need them. But there are many in our communities who aren’t - and winter is coming. Please consider supporting MPP Dave Smith with your donation of some non-perishable food items for our Township food banks in the County and if you have them, toiletries and winter clothing for the Peterborough shelters. This is the time of year when community comes together, we put our arms around those in need and we show our support. Please donate whatever you can,” said Jones.

Food Drives will take place as followed:

Buckhorn Foodland 10a.m. – 2p.m. Nov. 6

Lakefield Foodland 10a.m. – 2p.m. Nov. 13

Havelock Foodland 10a.m. – 2p.m. Nov. 20

Lakefield Giant Tiger 2p.m. – 6p.m. Nov. 26

John’s Valu-mart 10a.m. – 2p.m. Nov. 27

All food donations will be delivered to the local food bank within the township.

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Peterborough Sharing and Caring Gets a Head Start on Christmas Hampers with Food Drive

Peterborough and Surrounding Communities Sharing and Caring, a local non-profit group, is hosting a Christmas Food Drive at the Real Canadian Superstore in preparation for the distribution of Christmas Hampers.

Volunteers at the Real Canadian Superstore food drive. Photo by Angela O’Grady.

Members from Help Alliance Americas and Lufthansa Group will be at the Real Canadian Superstore daily from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. until Saturday.

Peterborough Sharing and Caring took root in November 2020, to offer support to families and individuals during the holidays in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last Christmas the group put together and distributed 82 hampers to those that needed them.

Since their start, they have been striving to grow to be able to help more people.

“Right now there are people who don’t have a job, people that can’t go out places due to COVID-19, people that just don’t have the money to get what they need for Christmas,” said Brad Hayes, Lufthansa Group.

The non profit recently distributed Thanksgiving Hampers and are now gearing up to put together hampers for Christmas.

This year their most needed items for their holiday hampers are stuffing, canned vegetables, cookies and snacks.

They are also accepting gift items help families and individuals that may not receive anything.

With money gathered from bottle drives, the group has purchased a large supply of Crayola products to include in Christmas Hampers, says Sandra Whitmore, founder of Peterborough Sharing and Caring.

“We will be doing another bottle drive in November around the Deer hunt,” she said.

To request a Christmas Hamper, email Whitmore at sammybou1966@gmail.com. To keep updated on fundraisers and food drives, join the Peterborough Caring and Sharing Facebook group.

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Porch Pirates for Good are Making Hunger Walk The Plank with Food Drive for Kawartha Food Share

The Porch Pirates for Good are setting sail to collect donations for the Kawartha Food Share and make food insecurity walk the plank on Oct. 30.

(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) SUSAN DUNKLEY, LOIS TUFFIN, ASHLEE AITKEN AND MEGAN MURPHY at the Porch Pirates Food Drive in April. File Photo.

Volunteers from “Porch Pirates for Good” will once again hold a city-wide food drive to restock the dwindling shelves at Kawartha Food Share.

On Saturday October 30, 2021, anyone who is not ill or in self-isolation is being asked to leave a bag of non-perishable food items on their front porch.

Beginning at 9 a.m., volunteers will drive around the city and collect the items and deliver them to the Kawartha Food Share warehouse.

“It’s such an easy way for people to donate,” said Ashlee Aitkin, general manager, Kawartha Food Share. “You don’t have to leave your house, there are so many people that want to donate that have mobility issues or don’t drive. This is such an great way to give back to the community.”

Aitkin says the entire collection process takes around three hours, and the event usually completely fills the Kawartha Food Share warehouse.

“We have over 300 volunteers,” she said. “They’re amazing and we really couldn’t do this without them.”

Monetary donations can be made at http://www.kawarthafoodshare.com/donations.html. For every dollar donated, Kawartha Food Share leverages $6 of food purchasing power.

Participants are invited to dawn their best pirate costumes to greet volunteers on Oct. 30. Photo courtesy of Kawartha Food Share.

Aitkin says that while the Kawartha Food Share accepts any donations their most needed items currently are tuna, pasta, pasta sauce, soup, stew, apple sauce, nut-free granola bars and mac and cheese.

The goal for this years food drive is to collect 50,000 lbs of food.

“50,000 lbs sounds like a lot of food but when you feed 9,000 clients a month it’s actually not that much,” said Aitkin. “We distribute over 200,000 lbs of food every month, which is pretty crazy for a city our size.”

Businesses are also invited to participate in the Porch Pirates Food Drive. To take part, businesses must register by emailing susan@suzihomemaker.ca or calling 705-768-7894. A volunteer will pick up donations on Oct. 29.

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Summer Food Drive Ends With 8,000 Pounds of Donated Goods

Peterborough County showed its generosity as over 8,000 pounds of food was donated to Kawartha Food Share (KFS) in a summer campaign announced Tuesday.

(left to right) Murray Jones, Ashlee Aitken and Dave Smith at Kawartha Food Share. KFS distributes 150,000-200,000 pounds of food in a month which feeds over 9,000 individuals. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The drive began in early June where Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith toured around participating grocery stores around the county. Roughly $5,000 in cash donations was given as part of the drive.

Smith was accompanied by KFS general manager Ashlee Aitken and warden of Peterborough County, J. Murray Jones to make the announcement of the food drive’s conclusion at the KFS warehouse.

Over the summer, food drives were held twice at Morello’s Your Independent Grocer, John’s Valu-mart Lakefield Giant Tiger, Buckhorn Foodland and Havelock Foodland.

“This is our second food drive since the COVID-19 pandemic began,” said Smith. “I am always shocked at the generosity of the people in our community, having raised over 8,000 pounds of food for our communities and $5,000 in cash donations.”

“The food drive truly reaches those who need a helping hand,” said Jones.

These drives supported the local food banks in Lakefield, Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, Curve Lake First Nation, Buckhorn, North Kawartha, and the Lovesick Lake Native Women’s Association.

“This initiative has raised over 3000 pounds of food for our local North Kawartha Food Bank which is incredible,” said Carolyn Amyotte, North Kawartha mayor. “Having lost our only grocery store to fire last December, Dave’s efforts to re-stock community food banks like ours is humbling and very much appreciated.”

Local Man Andrew Parnell Is On a Mission To End Nation Wide Hunger With Panda Feeds Canada

Peterborough local, Andrew Parnell, has his sights set on ending nation wide hunger - and he is going to do it on Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Panda Feeds Canada.

In early March of 2021 Parnell started the Instagram page PandaFeedsCanada.

The name comes from the nickname ‘Panda Parnell’ given to him in elementary school.

The goal is to gain enough followers to have the ability to present advertisements and sponsorships via the social media platform. Once he is able to do so 100 percent of revenue generated on Instagram will be donated to food shares across the country, he says.

Before he started on this journey a close friend of his passed away and he was laid off from his construction job for the winter.

“I just decided ‘you know what, I need to do something more productive with my time,” Parnell said. “ I figured this was the best way I could possibly make an impact of my community, follow in my parents footsteps and be a hardworking volunteer.”

Parnells parents, Don and Lesley Parnell, spend much of their time volunteering around the community. Lesley represents the Otonabee Ward on City Council and plays a major role in the Festival of Lights. She is a recipient of a Peterborough Volunteer of the Year Award.

Don is a recent inductee into the Peterborough Pathway of Fame having played a major role in the staging of the annual Victoria Day fireworks presentation over Little Lake and serving as a full-time member of the Pedal For Hope support team.

Amanda Shaw from Real Canadian Superstore, Ashlee Aitkins from Kawartha Foodshare and Andrew Parnell from Panda Feeds Canada. Parnell often stands outside of grocery stores accepting monetary and food donations for Kawartha Food Share. Pictures is Aitkins accepting a $1000 donation to Kawartha Food Share on June 10, 2021. Photo courtesy of Panda Feeds Canada.

“Most donations to this point have been my close friends and family really wanting to help out and launch the name Panda Feeds Canada,” said Parnell.

Panda Feeds Canada does not currently accept donations, but Parnell directs those interested in donating to Kawartha Food Share and will celebrate the donor on his Instagram page.

“If a small business wants to make a donation to the Food Share, I can do a little write up and post their business on my page,” he said. “I’m starting small but I’d love to get some bigger companies on board when I gain more followers.”

Panda Feeds Canada also hosts giveaways and raffles on Instagram with any monetary proceeds going directly to the Kawartha Foodshare.

In June Parnell hosted the first annual Panda Feeds Canada Golf Tournament at Keystone Links Golf and Country Club and donated $6100 to Kawartha Food Share.

Parnell presents the Kawartha Food Share with $6100 raised at the first annual Panda Feeds Canada Golf Tournament. Photo courtesy of Panda Feeds Canada.

“I’d love for people to put some energy into this, and encourage their friends to follow us on Instagram,” said Parnell.

While Parnell’s main goal right now is building his following on Instagram to help launch his idea, he hopes if anything he is able to inspire others to pursue their own aspirations.

“Try and make a difference. You might put some hard hours into it but you’ll feel good about what you’ve done, even if you only make a minor change and help one person it’s worth it,” said Parnell. “There’s too much negativity in this world right now so any kindness and compassion that we can put out into the universe is only going to help everyone in the long run.”

To donate to Kawatha Food Share click here. To be featured on Panada Feeds Canada send a screenshot of your donation via direct message.

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