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Dundas Community Services Now Offers Meals on Wheels

Dundas Community Services is pleased to announce that Meals-On-Wheels Dundas will become part of the DCS family of programs effective July 1, 2006.

There will be no changes to the delivery of meals to clients; the volunteers will remain the same. Dundas Community Services will coordinate the continued delivery of meals prepared by Wentworth Lodge and execute the monthly invoices starting with the July billing period.

An advisory group from Meals on Wheels Dundas will be formed to ensure a smooth transition, and one representative of this group will be elected as a member of the Dundas Community Services Board of Directors.

For more information on this program or to arrange or cancel a meal, please call Dundas Community Services at 905-627-5461, or visit our Meals on Wheels page.

The Community of Dundas Responds

In 1995 it was recognized that the Dundas Salvation Army needed assistance in carrying out their efforts in maintaining a FOOD BANK. The local Rotary Club had been holding food donation solicitations at Easter and Thanksgiving in front of the major grocery stores, but this was unable to meet the needs of the FOOD BANK. Dundas Community Services felt they had the skills and infrastructure to organize a door to door blitz of the homes in Dundas and took up this challenge. Sponsorships were found for advertising the Food Drive in the local paper and in the initial year two food drives were held in April and October 1996. In 1998 Dundas Community Services decided that the food drive needed to occur the same weekend each year, so the Saturday prior to the Thanksgiving weekend was chosen.

After the first couple of years, the Dundas Star News offered to become a co-sponsor giving the Food Drive the type of promotion now enjoyed. This type of coverage cannot be bought! In the early years 10,000 to 12,000 pounds of food was received along with $200 to $300 in cash donations.

In 2001 the small sandwich boards were designed and placed throughout the town the week prior to the Food Drive. More pro-active solicitation of support from our local churches was initiated. The tragedy of 9/11 also impacted the canvas with an overwhelming number of volunteers and the collection of approximately 45,000 pounds of food. This year, not only a large number of families participated, but many, many teenagers brought their enthusiasm and strength to the event. As well, 70,000 pounds of food was collected and approximately $3,000 in cash donations.

While no one wished to have the need for such a FOOD BANK in our community, it is a fact of life in this age. Currently the Food Bank services over 3,000 clients and is adding new families each month with needed assistance. It is truly gratifying to live in a community that demonstrates this kind of compassion and caring for each other in such a tangible way.

The 14th Food Drive will take place Saturday, October 4th, 2008, (the Saturday prior to the Thanksgiving weekend) See you there!