To help make the winter a little less lonely, a little less isolating—and a lot more bright—SIRCH Community Services is hosting Lunch Is On Us for the Haliburton County community.
“Winter can be tough! Below freezing temperatures, limited sunlight, and higher-than-ever household expenses, can leave you feeling pretty down and alone some days.” said Gena Robertson, Executive Director of SIRCH. “Lunch Is On Us lets you meet up with your friends or come and make new ones while having a delicious and healthy lunch at no cost to you!”
Starting November 7, 2019 until February 27, 2020, SIRCH will host Lunch Is On Us each Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at SIRCH Central, 2 Victoria Street, Haliburton. (Note, there is no Lunch Is On Us on Boxing Day, December 26, 2019.)
“Each Thursday, Lunch Is On Us will feature a different menu,” Jay McIvor, SIRCH’s Food Initiatives Coordinator, said enthusiastically. “For example, one week we may serve a hearty chilli with homemade buns, and another we’ll serve grilled cheese with bacon and homemade soup—always with a dessert, of course. We can serve 50 to 60 people each week. Meals can be eaten-in or taken-out.”
The first Lunch Is On Us is on November 7 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
These lunches have been made possible by donations to Gifts from the Heart, sponsorships and other donations. “Lunch Is On Us is free of charge,” said Robertson. “It’s our way of thanking and supporting the community we live in, and we also are able to offer training opportunities to past graduates of Cook It Up. A donation jar will be available and if you’d like to ‘pay it forward’ we’d appreciate it, but there is no expectation—we just want people to come out, get warm, connect and have some fun.”
For more information about Lunch Is On Us, visit www.sirch.on.ca/lunchisonus or phone 705-457-1742.
SIRCH’s Lunch Is On Us program does not receive funding support from any level of government. SIRCH’s annual fundraising campaign, Gifts from the Heart, is currently underway and is an opportunity for you to support SIRCH programs including Lunch Is On Us. Visit www.sirch.on.ca/gifts to contribute.
So come and join us—for 16 winter weeks, Lunch Is On Us!