food

Help keep the Community Kitchen cooking

December 18, 2019 Leave a Comment

For thirty years, SIRCH Community Services has had a mission. As needs in the community become apparent, especially gaps and issues affecting those most vulnerable, SIRCH often develops and implements programs to help.

One of these needs identified is for enough healthy food during challenging times.

According to Statistics Canada, 17.2 per cent of Haliburton County households are considered low income. In fact, Haliburton County has the second highest level of low income households in all of Ontario. This means many households struggle with putting food on the table. Parents may go without meals to feed their kids. Seniors’ fridges may be empty. Food insecurity affects health and brain development.

Through initiatives like Community Kitchen, SIRCH tries to make those tough times easier.

“It’s important to have foods that give you the nutrients you need to maintain your health, feel good, and have energy,” said Jay McIvor, SIRCH’s Food Initiatives Coordinator. “Many individuals and families in the county really can’t afford nutritious food when they’re struggling to pay bills or when they’re ill. One of the ways SIRCH is working on this issue is through the Community Kitchen,”

In the Community Kitchen, volunteers make healthy meals that are then distributed through local food banks and community agencies.

“Last year, the Community Kitchen made 3,600 meals for local residents,” said Jay. “Many people are unaware that SIRCH’s Community Kitchen receives no funding from government. Without the generous support of donors, we’d be unable to operate.”

Ken Mott of the Wilberforce Food Bank has seen the effects of Community Kitchen meals first hand. “Our clients really appreciate the food prepared by SIRCH’s Community Kitchen. The food bank’s clients often struggle to access nutritional food, so SIRCH’s efforts to provide meals that are tasty and nutritious makes a huge difference to people’s lives. Keep up the good work!”

As a non-profit charitable organization, SIRCH relies on the financial contributions of individuals and local businesses to help accomplish its mission. Each fall, SIRCH launches Gifts from the Heart as its community fundraiser.

“This is the eighth year of SIRCH’s Gifts from the Heart campaign,” said SIRCH Board President, Barbara Fawcett. “While the campaign has evolved and grown over that time, ultimately it’s about supporting a local organization that works in the local community for the betterment of local residents.”

To contribute to this year’s Gifts from the Heart campaign, visit www.sirch.on.ca/gifts or phone 705-457-1742. You can also visit SIRCH’s offices Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., located at 49 Maple Avenue, unit 4, Haliburton, to make a donation in person.

Lunch Is On Us Creates Connection

December 10, 2019 Leave a Comment

Last Thursday, a woman (we’ll call her Mary) stopped in to Lunch Is On Us to pick up lunch for herself, and for a friend who was grieving over the loss of a loved one. The friend had told her she wasn’t eating much, so Mary thought some goulash soup and chicken pasta, along with company, would perk her up a bit. “I grew up with goulash” she told the chefs, Jay and Lydia, “It’s like comfort food to me.” She left just before meal service was closing.

At 2:15, Mary came flying back in the door. “Do you still have food?” she asked, slightly breathless. Jay assured her there was some left so she got the same orders again, explaining as she waited. As Mary had been walking to her friend’s house, she passed a woman walking a dog. They said a few words, and the other person confided that she was just in town that day to support someone going through cancer treatments. Mary listened and then thrust her bag with the two lunches at her. “Here take these,” she exclaimed. “They will be fairly easy for your friend to eat and I can go and get more.” She explained that Lunch Is On Us is all about connection and that they were free from SIRCH. With a smile, the woman took the lunches from Mary, thanked her, and headed back to her friend.

This is exactly what Lunch Is On Us is about. Making a winter day a little less lonely, a little less isolating—and a lot more bright for the Haliburton County community.

From November through March, SIRCH offers a free lunch once a week in Haliburton Village. Since we started in November, we’ve served 329 guests 129 main dishes, 127 sandwiches, and 211 soups and salads! All free. All done through donations, sponsorship and fundraising.

Gifts from the Heart is our major fundraiser and it supports Lunch Is On Us. To contribute to this year’s Gifts from the Heart campaign, visit www.sirch.on.ca/gifts or phone 705-457-1742. To make a donation in person, you can visit SIRCH’s offices Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., located at 49 Maple Avenue, Unit 4, Haliburton.

We hope to see Mary back every Thursday. And we hope to see you at SIRCH Central too (2 Victoria Street, Haliburton). Come and eat in, tell some tales, relax. Or take food out and share with a friend. Lunch is on us.

This fall and winter—Lunch Is On Us!

October 31, 2019

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!

Harvesting community contributions: Apple Sauce Project celebrates another great year

October 2, 2019 Leave a Comment

Haliburton County agencies and non-profit organizations are celebrating the impactful contributions of community members in making this year’s Apple Sauce Project a resounding success.

The Apple Sauce Project is a community initiative that turns unused apples from local trees into apple sauce, which is then frozen and distributed to seniors and families.

“The 2019 season of the Apple Sauce Project has been a fantastic success,” said Apple Sauce Project Lead Kate Hall of HKPR District Health Unit. “Local residents donated apples from trees on their properties. Their contributions helped get this year’s Apple Sauce Project off to a great start.”

A team of volunteers visited local orchards and properties to pick apples. “Seven volunteers donated their time to harvest apples. We’re really grateful for their hard work,” stated Nancy Brownsberger of Haliburton Highlands Health Services. “In addition, we want to thank the local property owners that permitted us to pick apples from their properties and orchards. It was a bumper year for apples!”

Over two days, the donated and picked apples were then turned into apple sauce. “We had 16 volunteers spend time in the SIRCH Community Kitchen, washing, cutting, cooking, processing, packaging, and freezing apple sauce,” explained Jay McIvor of SIRCH Community Services. “It’s an amazing feeling knowing your efforts make a difference in our community. Thanks to all the volunteers for participating!”

The Minden Community Food Centre also participated in the Apple Sauce Project. “Our volunteers work very well together. Not only have they made containers of apple sauce, but they also made apple crisp, which is also really popular with our food bank’s clients,” stated Marilynne Lesperance, Community Kitchen Manager of the Minden Community Food Centre. “We have a really good system in place!”

In total, 1,694 containers of apple sauce were made. Over the coming months the apple sauce will be distributed by Meals On Wheels, SIRCH Frozen Meals, and local food banks.

“The Apple Sauce project is a great example of community partners successfully working together to ensure everyone in our community has access to fresh, local and nutritious food,” said Kate Hall.

The Apple Sauce Project is facilitated by community partnerships:

Take a tasty trip to Korea—without leaving the Highlands

September 18, 2019 Leave a Comment

Tired of making the same old dinners, day after day, week after week? Curious about flavours and dishes from other parts of the world? Want to improve your cooking skills?

SIRCH Community Services has just the thing to rejuvenate your meal preparations: Korean Cooking Classes!

In these classes, you will learn to cook authentic, popular Korean dishes: Bulgogi Jeongol (hot pot), Dumpling Jeongol, Soondubu Jjigae (soft tofu stew), and Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup).

“I am passionate about cooking, and sharing my Korean heritage with others,” said class instructor Lydia Kim of SIRCH Community Services. “You don’t need to be an experienced cook to participate. Just be open to trying new skills and trying new tasty dishes!”

A graduate of SIRCH’s Cook It Up restaurant industry job training program, Lydia moved to Haliburton County from Peterborough a number of years ago. She originally emigrated from Korea when she was a teenager. “Food helps bring people together. When family and friends work together in the kitchen, they enjoy their time together, create memories, and the meal tastes just that much better.” She encourages friends and couples to sign up for the classes so they can share and socialize together.

Each class, you’ll learn how to prepare a specific Korean dish, then sit down together and eat your delicious lunch! You’ll take back recipes so you can make the dish at home too! Proceeds from the classes will help support SIRCH Community Service’s food initiatives, like the Community Kitchen.

There are four Korean Cooking Classes in fall 2019:

Monday, October 21, 2019 – Bulgogi Jeongol (hot pot)
Monday, November 4, 2019 – Dumpling Jeongol
Monday, November 18, 2019 – Soondubu Jjigae (soft tofu stew)
Monday, December 2, 2019 – Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup)

The classes will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at SIRCH Central, located at 2 Victoria Street, Haliburton (next to the laundromat). Class size is limited to eight people, so there’s opportunities to ask questions, participate, and assemble the dish. The cost per person per class is $65. You can pick and choose what class you’d like to attend. Or, register for three classes and get the fourth class for half price. Register and pay for the cooking classes by calling SIRCH at 705-457-1742, or drop by 49 Maple Avenue, Unit 4, in Haliburton.

Haliburton residents and visitors have previously enjoyed Lydia’s cooking at SIRCH’s Korean Cooking Classes held in spring 2019, and to rave reviews at the International Bistro at the Haliburton Highlands Secondary School during the summer.

How do you like them apples? Apple Sauce Project returns to Haliburton County

September 9, 2019 1 Comment

It’s that time of year again when the apples are ripe and falling from the trees—perfect for apple sauce!

The Apple Sauce Project is a community initiative that turns unused apples from local trees into apple sauce, which is then frozen and distributed to seniors and families through Meals on Wheels, SIRCH Frozen Meals, and through local food banks. The project is a great example of ensuring everyone in our community has access to fresh, local and nutritious food.

If you have apple trees, and are not sure what to do with all those apples, consider donating them to the Apple Sauce Project. Donations of your picked apples are greatly appreciated! You can drop off your picked apples to SIRCH Community Kitchen, 2 Victoria Street, Haliburton (next to the laundromat) on Monday, September 16, 2019, or Thursday, September 19, 2019 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

“Since its inception in 2014, the Apple Sauce Project has made over 4,300 cups of apple sauce, which is roughly 8,600 servings,” said Kate Hall, Public Health Food Worker with Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit. “In the winter months, local seniors can receive the nutritious benefits of fruit from apple sauce.”

The Apple Sauce Project also needs volunteers to assist with picking apples, and making apple sauce.

Volunteers will be picking apples from local orchards on Monday, September 16, 2019 and Tuesday, September 17, 2019. To volunteer as an apple picker, contact Nancy Brownsberger at 705-457-2941 ext 2926.

Volunteers will process the apples into apple sauce on Monday, September 23, 2019 and Tuesday, September 24, 2019 at the SIRCH Community Kitchen, 2 Victoria Street, Haliburton (next to the laundromat). To volunteer as an apple sauce maker, contact Jay McIvor at 705-457-1742.