A seat at the table
The chance to connect with others over healthy food is a lifeline for Susan, a regular at The Local Community Food Centre in Stratford, Ontario. “I feel so welcome here,” she says. “I truly feel part of this place.”
For years, 77-year-old retiree Susan Gjesing visited The Local Community Food Centre (CFC) a few times a week. She volunteered, took part in exercise programs and enjoyed meals with friends. They’d eat together and chitchat, maybe play a game of euchre afterwards. Sometimes there were speakers on subjects like healthy eating or how to navigate the new roundabouts on the roads in town.
But it was the chance to connect that made all the difference for Susan.
“There’s a camaraderie. A lot of friendship here.”
The Local CFC opened in 2012 as one of the first in our national movement. During the pandemic, the CFC had to close for in-person meals, but Susan was one of hundreds of community members who received hot food delivered by volunteers three times a week. She missed her friends, but these healthy meals were a lifesaver after a 2020 stroke left her in hospital and rehab for months, then unable to drive or use her stove afterward. Sometimes the volunteers would even help clear the snow from her walk. “They always had a kind word—they really went above and beyond,” says Susan.
When The Local finally reopened, even managing her diabetes, getting a walker, and losing sight in her right eye didn’t stop Susan from returning.
Some of her old crowd have passed away, but she’s found new people to sit with during community meals. And she’s also accessing supports, like referrals for mental health services and a community paramedic who can test her blood sugar. “I feel so welcome here,” Susan says. “People are wonderful. They make me feel supported. I truly feel part of this place.”
Note: The photo above shows community members and staff connecting at The Local Community Food Centre.
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For years, 77-year-old retiree Susan Gjesing visited The Local CFC in Stratford, Ontario, a few times a week. She took part in exercise programs and enjoyed meals with a group of friends. They’d eat together and chitchat, maybe play a game of euchre afterwards. Sometimes there were speakers on subjects like healthy eating or how to navigate the new roundabouts on the roads in town.
But it was the chance to connect that made all the difference for Susan. “There’s a camaraderie. A lot of friendship there,” Susan says.
“There’s a camaraderie. A lot of friendship there.”
During the pandemic, The Local closed to in-person meals, but Susan was one of hundreds of community members who received hot food delivered by volunteers three times a week. She missed her friends, but these healthy meals, dropped off at her door, were a lifesaver after a 2020 stroke left her in hospital and rehab for months, then unable to drive or use her stove afterward. Sometimes the volunteers would even help clear the snow from her walk. “They always had a kind word—they really went above and beyond,” says Susan.
Some of her old crowd have passed away, but she’s found new people to sit with during community meals. And she’s also accessing supports, like referrals for mental health services and a nurse practitioner who can test her blood sugar. “I feel so welcome there,” Susan says. “People are wonderful. They make me feel supported. I truly feel part of this place.”
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