Happy New Year Dear OOTC Friends and Supporters,
We are almost halfway through our 2024-2025 Season, so how about we check in on the progress we have made so far.
Committed Volunteers!!! Just before last Wednesday, when our staffing was going to be lighter than usual, I suggested we’d benefit with a few extra people and longer shifts, you all complied so generously with your time.
We even welcomed an unexpected new person: Public Health Inspector Kristy. The facility and our team passed! Kristy said that she has inspected a lot of groups in operation but never witnessed a group having so much fun doing good. I’m soooo proud of all of you and “You Look Mahvelous” in hairnets. Keep up the good work.
The meals are so delicious, hearty, nutritious and the portions are VERY generous. For instance, on Wednesday, guests picked up bags filled with pea soup, meatloaf, green beans in a Greek tomato/onion/garlic/oil slurry, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, mixed bean and vegetable salad, bananas, bread, cookies. Cases of free beets, artichokes, endive, radiccio, sno peas were offered to our guests at our open-air market. Sunny, very little wind, -7 degrees. Two hundred and fifty-two meals were prepared, 238 distributed curbside and the rest were delivered to The Locke Street Fridge and The Hub. (They received a half case of bananas too.)
Meals prepared this season: 914
Meals delivered curbside: 860
In preparation for an OOTC retreat next week, I reviewed our food costs for the last two seasons and this season so far. (The retreat will be focusing on everything from a review of our last 5-year plan to a new plan, reviews of surveys from community partners, guests, volunteers; strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities; group reports, income and expenses.) Prices for fresh produce have risen dramatically. Overall, we are spending 40% more on food. Meat represents 35% of our food costs. We purchase meat when it is deeply discounted and use it right away or freeze for future use. So, if you see wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tubemen near the chicken or ground lean beef, load up for us please!!
We all agree that the addition of the Colin McDonald school at Erskine is a win-win. Just before Christmas, the children learned about our program and the people it serves and the faith communities who respond to poverty in their neighbourhood. We were so overwhelmed with emotion to read the 250 messages of love, hope, reassurance and kindness that the children created and were placed in our takeaway bags. Check out the picture.
Since we began this season, we have made space, metaphorically and physically, out there on the driveway and curb to chat, kibbitz, listen to our guests, learn their names, find something new and warm for them to take away. Civil law is built around rights; Jewish law is built around obligations. A man recently shared, “Two years ago, you saved my life.” He, like many others, trust us to be their consistent partners, to use positive language in our greetings and conversations and to make their challenges feel just a bit lighter.
Keep doing what you’re doing and if you want to be part of our greeters out there, you are warmly welcome!!
Finally, the remaining OOTC dates are Jan. 22, Feb. 5, 26, followed just a week later on March 5 and our final dinner March 19.
See you soon, Cindy
No comments:
Post a Comment