As Central York Region’s 100 Women Who Care decided on where to donate more than $14,000 in funding, member Patricia Hawke made a heartfelt plea.
Hawke described some of the clientele the local food bank has seen, from a mother sitting in her car crying before getting the nerve to go in for help, to the children going hungry in the community.
Hawke said her own passion as a volunteer for the food pantry comes from growing up in a low-income family 50 years ago, going to school with no lunch.
“Being laughed at as my stomach grumbled. Trying to learn when all I could think about was that I was hungry and couldn’t wait to get home and steal frozen peas from the fridge, hopefully, without mom knowing … she always did,” Hawke said in a speech to fellow members of 100 Women Who Care, provided to NewmarketToday. “ I only wish that my parents had hunger relief and emergency support to help them out. I don’t think anyone, regardless of their current situation should suffer from hunger. And it’s our job as community support to help those in need.”
100 Women Who Care Central York Region, with members from Newmarket, Aurora and East Gwillimbury, decided to step up and support the Newmarket Food Pantry with a $14,315 donation Nov. 15. The donation will go toward the pantry’s community kitchen program, also known as the CEREAL (Community Empowerment-Resource-Education-Awareness-Learning) Centre.
Operations and resource manager Vanessa Gorgonio said the donation is incredible.
“This is a huge time of need for us and it’s going to go so far to reach all the families in our community,” Gorgonio said.
The CEREAL Centre allows community groups to come in, cook meals, preparing healthy foods for the clientele. It also is a space for educational workshops or for kitchen rentals.
“We’ve had so many different businesses come in … to make large batches of various different items, like a big batch of chili, so we can stretch some items further,” she said.
The 100 Women Who Care Central York Region donates to Newmarket, Aurora and East Gwillimbury charities, with members coming together to each donate $100 four times a year to a different charity. The organization recently celebrated its ninth anniversary, with more than $400,000 in total donated.
Hawke, who also regularly volunteers with the pantry, said it is on pace to serve more than 25,000 clients this year, with demand remaining high.
“Let’s help the Newmarket Pantry with their vision of a community free from hunger,” Hawke said.
