Wawa Community Food Bank must thank several people and organiations for their financial support. We very much appreciate the donations from Fern Albert, Fountain Tire, John and Kaireen Morrison, Gerry Morin for the proceeds from her sale of garden produce to MNR employees and Superior Children’s Centre for the Valu Mart gift cards. In addition, this past week the Food Bank received a most unusual donation from an individual who had been staying at the Wawa Motor Inn. As employees entered his quarters after he checked out, they discovered a room full of fresh and frozen food and a vast assortment of non-perishable items dedicated to the Food Bank. The following note accompanied the largesse: “To Community of Wawa, My name is Danny Larose from Geraldton, Ontario. I came to this great community. I met some great people and not so much. I heard you have a food bank and I would like to make a large donation to help families and their children get through these difficult times. ‘Small town community, not so small hearts.’ TAKE CARE! ” Food Bank volunteers are astounded by this generosity from a stranger to our town. We would also like to thank the Wawa Motor Inn employees who delivered the many boxes directly to our shelves. On a completely different note, we are fortunate to further benefit from the Wawa Family Health Team outreach programme. Every Food Bank Wednesday, from 2 – 4 pm, a walk in clinic will offer the services of Laurie Cavan, registered social worker. Our EDC is kindly providing private office space for this programme which began January 20 and is available to anyone in the community, including but not limited to Food Bank clients. As a community social worker, Laurie views her role as solution focused, offering confidential crisis intervention and short term counselling. Her purpose is to advocate for those dealing with issues connected to poverty, housing and those in need of personal support. If required, further contact with the Wawa Family Health Team can be arranged. The brochure describing this venture states, “We have a broad definition of crisis: if it is a crisis to you, it is a crisis to us.” Appointments are not necessary; it is a walk in clinic. Once again, this valuable service is available to anyone in the community. The Food Bank, located at 96 Broadway Avenue in the former medical building, is closed the first Wednesday of each month and is open each Wednesday following this closure.
