Kayla Widish, Volunteer and Community Engagement Coordinator with Community Support Connections, was introduced by Lena.
Kayla started at Community Support Connections in 2023 after graduating from Conestoga College with a Bachelor of Public Relations. She has an enthusiasm for meeting new people, and a passion for supporting volunteerism.
Community Support Connections has 450+ volunteers, 700+ donors, and 7,000 clients, serving Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and North Dumfries. 54% of their clients have physical limitations, 27% of chronic illness, which makes up the bulk of their client base.
Taco Fest is their largest annual fundraiser, taking place in June each year.
Meals on Wheels is their most recognizable program, which serves 300-350 meals per day, along 31 routes, serving 7-13 meals per route.
They operate under 4 main pillars:
- Nutrition
- Physical Health
- Social Wellbeing
- Help at Home
Grocery Shopping Assistance
- Drop & Shop - folks that just need a lift to and from a store
- Escorted Shopping - assistance with lifting and carrying items
- List Shopping - for those unable to make it to a store, or unable to leave home
Exercise & Fall Prevention
- Group exercise classes are offered throughout the region
- 1:1 in-home visits as well
.
Social Wellbeing
- Caregiver support for family, friends and neighbours.
- Friendly Connections - facilitating virtual get togethers.
- Friendly Visiting - volunteers making weekly visits to isolated clients.
- Reassurance Calls - morning calls, M-F for personal reassurance/safety.
Transportation
- Rides to medical appointments, day programs, visiting loved ones
Help at Home - support with:
- Home maintenance
- Home making
- Snow removal (8,200 visits last year)
- Yard work
Getting involved
- Volunteering time, especially for deliveries
- Groups - help with their garden, kitchen prep, or "adopt a route"
- Shifts at the Cambridge Bingo & Gaming Centre
- Support from local businesses, especially in-kind donations
They offer a sliding fee structure to help make their programs as accessible as possible to those with the greatest need.
Questions
Todd: The City of Cambridge has paid positions to do visits. Can this group take that over?
A: There are service overlaps across the region, for example Waterloo offers their own shopping program. Perhaps there's some competition over who gets what funding. There's also some jurisdictional/territorial issues even with other charities.
Rena: What's "Adopt a Route"?
A: Sharing responsibility for a route as a group. Pick-up is in Breslau, and then dropping off empty bags in Cambridge. 2 hour commitment.
Larry: Is there any government funding available?
A: Yes. These services help keep pressure off of long-term care spots and recovery beds. That's under Provincial domain, so most of their funding comes from that level, but they do receive some Federal and Municipal support.
Brian: How do you prepare so many meals?
A: They use an industrial kitchen, and have a team of 6 professional cooks, plus volunteers. The staff is paid, and they also provide nutritional expertise, which is important for clients with diabetes, or recovering from particular illnesses.
Rena: Do the accepted donated food?
A: Some organizations donate food. Other times the receive materials for their garden program, like expired seeds which can't be sold, but still grow just fine.
Larry noted that his father volunteered for Meals on Wheels into his 70's, until he started having a few driving accidents.
Rob thanked Kayla for speaking, appreciating how difficult it can be be to get volunteer support. They are doing a great job.
Pres. Keith shared that 10 children will be vaccinated her Kayla's name.
Rena shared a joke about cows having just given birth can be called de-calf-inated. Editors note: Unclear if the Swiss Water method was used to induce labour, or something else.
Pres Keith ended the meeting with a quote from Winston Churchill:
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give"
