Winter 2012 - Centre d`action bénévole de Montréal

winter/
spring
2013
Some people look
for a beautiful place
Others make
a place beautiful
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Contents
CABM.NET
info@cabm.net
The Volunteer Food Services
Central Office is a program
of the Volunteer Bureau
of Montreal
Six months already…  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Page 2
A Word from Marjorie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Page 3
In search of your western counterparts  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Page 4
Pictures tell the story of delivering meals in Hollister  . . . . . . . . . . . .  Page 6
A new face at the Central Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Page 7
Free! One hour training on food sanitation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Page 7
What’s new at Action Centre-Ville? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Page 8
I have not forgotten you!  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Page 9
Corporate volunteering comes to C.A.D.R.E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Page 10
Making way for youth at the Petit Bedon Meals on Wheels program . .  Page 12
MultiCaf’s Meals on Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Page 13
Holiday Wishes from the Central Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Page 14
Six months already…
By Nancy Dumais
Liaison officer, Volunteer Food
Services, VBM
liaison-sab@cabm.net
Six months have flown
by so quickly since I started
working as the Liaison Officer for
Volunteer Food Services. It feels as
though I started just a few weeks
ago.
In the first article I wrote upon
my arrival here, I said: “I am ready
for a new professional challenge
and I feel lucky to have found the
right opportunity at the VBM”.
Since then, not a single day goes
without my recognizing that my
decision was a good one. I feel
proud of my involvement with volunteer food services and I enjoy
describing my work to people
around me.
Photo credits:
Alejandra Ariza*
(maga.magnolia@gmail.com): p. 2 and 9
Paul Barrette*
(pbarrette@fastmail.fm): p. 7, 10 and 11
Romain Caroff*: p. 7
Hélène Liennard*: cover
François Provost*: p. 3
Food for Thought is published by
the Volunteer Food Services
Central Office for Meals on Wheels
and Lunch Club volunteers.
It is always a pleasure for Nancy to go out and meet clients.
Since the beginning of July, I have
had the opportunity not only to
meet with some of you but also
to deliver meals with volunteers.
Seeing how happy it makes seniors
to receive their meals has touched
my heart. I was impressed to note
each volunteer’s devotion and
commitment, be they cooks, runners or drivers. I always come away
from these rounds with a deeper
conviction that our work is more
than worthwhile. I hope to continue my visits during this winter
and spring.
See you soon! n
Volunteer Food Services
Central Office
Layout: Axel Pérez de León*
2015 Drummond St., Suite 300
Montreal, Quebec H3G 1W7
Telephone: 514.842.3351
Fax: 514.842.8977
www.cabm.net
info@cabm.net
Coordination : Stéphanie Carrasco
Collaborators: Alicja Buffa*, ­Stéphanie
Carrasco*, Amanda Cousy*, Ghislaine
Daoust*, Natali Delarue, Nadia
Hébert, Hadjé Kaltouma Adoum*,
Maxime Lestringant*, Marjorie
Northrup, Lynda Tetrault*, Elinor
Trepan*, Alice Steenhouwer*.
* Volunteers
The VBM is proud to announce that
Food for Thought is printed on 100%
recycled paper
Food for Thought | 2 | Winter /Spring 2013 A Word from Marjorie
By Marjorie Northrup
Coordinator, Volunteer Food
Services, VBM
mnorthrup@cabm.net
Hello friends and
­colleagues! I am still feeling
energized after another successful
meeting day at the Holiday Inn!
Thanks to all the participants who
made the day memorable–see you
next year! And a special thanks to
our dear Stéphanie, who is volunteering with us for a few weeks
before going back to France (and
eventually coming back!!).
I am often asked by journalists what is the secret to maintaining a happy volunteer workforce whose average age is 72. I
always reply that keeping busy
and active is an excellent way to
stay in shape and maintain a positive attitude, and that volunteers
often remain with the service for
ten, twenty or even thirty years
after retirement! What a win-win
situation!
However, I have been musing
lately on the secret to happily
living on into one’s eighties and
nineties, when one’s health does
not allow one to be very active.
For instance, why do many of our
Meals on Wheels clients appear to
be cheerful and content, despite
many heath issues, while others
do nothing but complain?
You might say that Gino’s scooter was usurped
by an Acadian…
Madame Blanc shared her secrets for a long life
with Marjorie.
This summer, I had the immense
privilege of being warmly welcomed into the families of two special friends, one in Tuscany and one
in Provence. I hadn’t seen Gino in
ten years, and knew that, at 87, he
has several health problems. What
a great surprise to be welcomed
by an invitation to try out his new
motorized scooter (see photo)! He
uses it to get water at the community well, do some shopping
and gardening, and to flirt with the
ladies who gather on the square in
the evening! He and his amazing
caregiver, Gianna, have a great time
together, and he helps with the
cooking.
Mme Blanc is 97 and lives alone
in a house built in 1683, in a picture-perfect village in the Alps. She
is surrounded by loving family
and caregivers, maintains a lively
interest in village doings, and even
the mailman stops in for a chat.
She makes an amazing fig jam,
and, at our farewell supper, was
calling for a second helping of dessert while people half her age were
flagging!
In both cases, these special
people are obviously receiving the
best of care. Beyond this fact, however, both are actively involved and
busy. They enjoy the pleasures of
life (and a good argument, their offspring will be quick to add!). I’m
still not sure there’s one big secret
to successful aging, but am pretty
sure that ATTITUDE has a big part
to play.
Warm and heartfelt wishes for a
holiday season filled with joy, peace,
serenity and FUN!! You deserve
it!! n
Food for Thought | 3 | Winter /Spring 2013 In search of your western counterparts
By Stephanie Carrasco
VBM volunteer
It has already been five
months since I left the Cen-
tral Office of the Volunteer Food Services. The end of my employment
in Montreal allowed me to experience a long dreamed of adventure:
to go WWOFING. What is WWOFING you ask? It’s a form of volunteering where you exchange work
on an organic farm for room and
board, but really it’s much more
than that. Your hosts share their
daily lives with you.
Being in western Canada, and
having an interest in Meals on
Wheels and other volunteer food
services, I thought it would be great
fun to see how such services are
offered outside of Québec. That’s
how I met Catherine, the coordinator of Meals on Wheels for Salt
Spring Island.
Catherine immediately agreed
to meet with me and was very
accommodating. She took the
time to explain the service,
speaking very slowly and repeating
when my English skills were
lacking.
Pricing of services is controlled
by a central office, the Vancouver
Island Health Authority (VIHA), created in 1986. Beyond determining
pricing, the VIHA acts much like
the central office of VFS, offering
Ursula decided to invite all the MOW volunteers to her birthday party in order to thank them.
support to many different groups
in British Columbia.
That’s how, at 10:30 a.m. a day
or so later, we were off with Zalhia,
one of 36 drivers delivering meals
to 50 happy clients all over Salt
Spring Island. This young volunteer of 75 has worked for Meals
on Wheels for more than 10 years.
On occasion, she calls on her husband for help, especially when the
roads are slippery in winter. We
were responsible for the northern
deliveries. A second route covers
the southern portion.
On our route, we reminded a
client, Mr. R. that it was his birthday,
which meant we were able to offer
best wishes to someone who was
otherwise alone. A cause for smiles
all around, but also a sad reminder
of how isolated and without friends
or family some seniors are. On the
other hand, it was impossible to
miss the 90th birthday of another
volunteer, Ursula, as she invited all
the Meals on Wheels volunteers to
her party!
This delivery became a test of
Zalhia’s patience. As we were delivering the last meal, I noticed that
the meal was gluten free and being
delivered to a client who had no
restrictions. Zalhia responded with
Food for Thought | 4 | Winter /Spring 2013 grace, reassured me in my embarrassment, did an about turn and
returned to the client in need of
the gluten free meal. Fortunately,
she had not begun her meal. The
exchange was made and we finished our deliveries, a little late
but laughing all the while at this
little hitch.
In the USA we also
find Meals on Wheels
My experience with Meals on
Wheels did not end when I left the
island, as I had the chance to meet
Kim, Meals on Wheels coordinator
for Hollister, California. Here again
I was very warmly received ... must
be the way of MOW folk.
I was allowed to accompany a
delivery team. Dan, Elias and Narcisso, the delivery men, who are
not volunteers as they receive a
small stipend for their work. Chatting with Narcisso (Chicho as he
prefered), he spoke of the importance of the work, as it permitted
him to remain active.
Deliveries are made in a truck
fitted with ovens to maintain hot
serving temperatures. Desserts and
dairy products are transported in
coolers. The driver checks the temperature of meals before delivery
and makes adjustments when
necessary. A donation of $2.00
is suggested to the client for the
meal but is not obligatory, however
this free meal service is becoming
After each delivery, Chicho has to remember to take the temperature of the meal.
increasingly complicated as subsidies are decreasing.
What fun I had on this visit to
your neighbours to the south and
I got to meet a local hero, Elias,
a delivery man whose call to 911
saved a client after she fell in her
apartment. For all of us who work
or have worked in Volunteer Food
Services, this story underlines the
importance of MOW to the safety
and wellbeing of seniors who wish
to remain in their homes.
This kind of “feel good” story
captures brief local attention and
reminds us of the important role
you volunteers play – you are all
heroes. Thank you! n
Food for Thought | 5 | Winter /Spring 2013 Pictures tell the story of delivering
meals in Hollister
Food for Thought | 6 | Winter /Spring 2013 A new face at the Central Office
By Natali Delarue
drawer, as well as from Nancy, who
was doing a super job, even though
Administrative Officer,
she had only recently begun to work
CABM-SAB
here. The enthusiasm and humanity
soutien@cabm.net
that surround me in my new environment contribute to a very high level
I originally come from of satisfaction in my work.
France and have been living
A few days after I came to the
in Montreal with my husband and VBM, I discovered the famous
three daughters for the past four Meals on Wheels service. I delivyears. In September 2011, I started ered about twenty meals for Le
to work as a volunteer receptionist Rameau d’Olivier and got to know a
at the VBM. What a pleasure to fantastic team. The volunteer who
come here every week to work with went around with me has been
a team that is friendly, dynamic, fun doing this route for 12 years. What
and, above all, extremely dedicated. generosity and self-sacrifice! This
When I joined the Volunteer Food was a unique and enriching experiServices team during the summer ence that I will never forget! And
of 2012, I received a warm wel- please take note that I am more
come from Marjorie, the great lady than ready to repeat it, so… see
who keeps a clown nose in her desk you very soon! n
Free! One hour
training on food
sanitation
By Marjorie Northrup
Coordinator, Volunteer Food
Services, VBM
mnorthrup@cabm.net
The meals we prepare
are destined to a very fra-
gile clientele; it is incumbent on us
to be very vigilant as to the safety
and cleanliness of the kitchen, and
by extension, of those who work
there. Even if some of you have
taken the 2-day program offered by
l’Institut de l’hôtellerie, it is wise to
remind ALL THOSE who work in the
kitchen of certain basic principles.
On this topic, I can now visit your
group to give this little training
module to all workers and volunteers involved in food preparation
and delivery.
Presented humourously, and in
an interactive fashion, this module
helps to make sure that the meals
you prepare are safe and free of
contamination. The groups who
have already taken the training
appreciated the fact that they
Enjoy your meal, Lise!
Squeaky clean at St Laurent Meals on Wheels
were able to learn together in a
friendly atmosphere, and seemed
eager to put their new techniques
in practice! Please call me if you
are interested! n
Food for Thought | 7 | Winter /Spring 2013 What’s new at Action Centre-Ville?
By Nadia Hébert
Assistant to the Director
and responsible for member
services, Action Centre-Ville
nadia.hebert@acv-montreal.com
I n September 2011,
The kitchen team at Action Centre-Ville ready to get
to work preparing meals for members.
(Bottom) So much of the pleasure of eating comes
from sharing with others.
Thanks to contributions from
the Fondation Jacques Francoeur,
the New Horizons for Seniors Program and the VBM, we were able to
get a new oven, a new dishwasher,
and some small kitchen appliances.
Financial support from the Fondation Marcelle et Jean Coutu and
from l’ŒUVRE LÉGER were crucial
in helping us hire our chef, Pina.
Thanks to her exceptional work
and that of Karen (Pina’s righthand woman) as well as our many
volunteers, the improved quality of
our lunches has caused an increase
of 28% in the the number of meals
served in only a few months.
The kitchen at Action Centre-Ville
continues to evolve to offer our
members even more services, but
we can already look back on our
progress and take pride in what
we’ve accomplished so far. n
Action Centre-Ville hired a
chef to breathe life back into the
kitchen. After working with various
catering companies for several
years, the organization decided
to take on the challenge of offering
meals cooked on-site at the same
low price.
We had a few hurdles to jump
in getting our kitchen operational
again: we needed to purchase or
replace equipment, look for suppliers, and change staff, among
other things.
Food for Thought | 8 | Winter /Spring 2013 I have not forgotten you!
Amanda during the VBM’s last AGM.
By Amanda Cousy
September marked my return
to university for my last term. My
time is taken up with many and
varied projects and I’m also looking
Nostalgia. When I think for an end-of-term internship. I
about the Volunteer Bureau would love to return to Montreal!
of Montreal, nostalgia is the first Given my positive experience in
word that comes to mind. Already Volunteer Food Services, I’m hoping
several months have passed since to remain in this field. Whether I
my return to France. After five am at a food bank, Action Against
incredible months at the VBM, Hunger or Restaurants With
French habits don’t come easily. I Heart, everyone I speak to here is
miss the generosity of Quebecers, intrigued by Meals on Wheels. Like
the dynamism of Montreal and, myself at the beginning, all smile
most of all, the smiles and laughter at the name «Popotes roulantes»
of my former colleagues. Not a day but find the concept very intergoes by that I don’t remember esting. Even across the Atlantic,
m a g i c a l m o m e n t s i n y o u r I continue to promote Volunteer
company.
Food Services!
The VBM’s ambassador in
Bordeaux
My enthusiasm for Montreal has
inspired friends and colleagues to
discover for themselves opportunities to visit your great city. I have
stars in my eyes when I talk about
Montreal and my work with the
VBM, so, as a consequence, you can
expect about a dozen requests for
placements. I can only wish them
an experience as rich and varied
as my own.
The festive season is almost here.
I imagine Montreal must be wonderful during this time. Warmest
best wishes to all and I hope to see
you soon! n
Food for Thought | 9 | Winter /Spring 2013 Corporate volunteering comes
to C.A.D.R.E
By Stéphanie Carrasco
VBM Volunteer
Volu nteer i ng never
ceases to amaze us. We know
it’s everywhere, in many different
forms, and that it’s constantly
changing, which inspires us to
take on new challenges. Last September and October, the Volunteer
Bureau of Montreal wanted to get
more involved in corporate volunteering. Thus, a group of thirty
employees from the company SAP
did some volunteer work for a day
at C.A.D.R.E – Échange de services.
This day was a marvellous illustration of the magic of volunteering where human interactions
are concerned. Beyond offering
an opportunity for employees to
get involved on a voluntary basis,
the experience allowed for a level
of interpersonal exchange well
beyond our expectations.
During the activity, a community
meal was served to the seniors who
visit the Centre on a regular basis.
During this “Oktoberfest” period,
Germany took centre stage, and
employees of this international
company with German origins
buckled down to various tasks with
great enthusiasm. Their involvement showed how generous and,
most of all, how caring they were
towards the people who participate in the community meals provided by the Centre. A few of the
ladies fell under the spell of handsome young men like Thomas, who
could have left arm in arm with
two young-at-heart blondes — if
he wasn’t already married!
Employees and regular volunteers
at C.A.D.R.E welcomed and supervised these volunteers-for-a-day,
which required a lot of organization for such a large group. The
volunteer tasks were varied: decoration of the hall, preparation of
the meal, picking up seniors and
driving them back home, waiting
on tables, and cleaning up.
Everyone was in high spirits.
Members, employees and volunteers all got together to eat some
mouth-watering sauerkraut and
enjoy some non-alcoholic beer.
There was even a little dance
lesson taught by the extraordinary
Carole, a young “German” volunteer at Échange de services
I’d like to congratulate everyone
who took part in the day’s activities in such a generous fashion:
SAP employees, volunteers and
employees at C.A.D.R.E. and the
Volunteer Bureau of Montreal, as
well as all of the seniors who were
in attendance. n
Food for Thought | 10 | Winter /Spring 2013 Food for Thought | 11 | Winter /Spring 2013 Making way for youth at the Petit
Bedon Meals on Wheels program
By Alice Steenhouwer
Volunteer editor-in‑chief
of Pimentons, Carrefour
St-Eusèbe’s magazine
With the ar r iva l of
summer, our young cyclists
came back to help out with home
deliveries at the Petit Bedon at
Carrefour Satin-Eusèbe, a community organization in Sainte-Marie.
Since 2008, the Centres Jeunesse
de Montréal and the Carrefour have
been working together to offer 15to 18-year-olds their first experience in the workplace. “Youth
brings life, vitality and strength.
These kids are a great human
Many generations working together for Meals on
Wheels
The average age of Meals on Wheels volunteers is
definitely dropping at Petit Bedon…
resource bringing different generations together at the Carrefour.
The interns like that they are appreciated for who they are, without
any prejudice. It’s as much a boost
for us as it is for them,” said Lynda,
manager at the Carrefour. Dominique, the representative for the
Centres Jeunesse, added, “These
two months have helped them
develop basic skills and good habits
they can then use in the workplace.”
Today, Steven and Juliano are part
of the delivery team for Petit Bedon.
As part of the Carrefour, they help
create and deliver meals by bicycle,
as their supervisor, Elisabeth,
watches on. “Steven and Juliano
have given the elderly a positive
impression of young adults. They’re
building strong relationships
together.” Juliano and Steven also
enjoyed their experience. “When I
go out to deliver meals to clients, I
like listening to their stories, their
childhood. We help each other out,”
said Juliano. Steven added, “This
internship helped validate my
dream of working in a kitchen.”
We wanted to share this beautiful
story of discovery, sharing, and
friendship with both young and
young at heart. n
Food for Thought | 12 | Winter /Spring 2013 MultiCaf’s Meals on Wheels
A service that provides support for the elderly at home
By Maxime Lestringant
that allows the elderly to retain
their autonomy at home by delivVolunteer, Multicaf
ering full meals twice a week. Beneficiaries can receive as many meals
MultiCaf, a community as they want, at a price of $4 per
cafeteria located on Appleton meal (including, in addition to a
Street, next to Kent Park, offers hot entrée, soup or salad, bread
services to the Côte-des-Neiges and a dessert or fruit).
neighborhood by providing, from
Persons with reduced mobility
11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays, who wish to remain in their own
a full meal for the modest sum of home are the clientele targeted by
$1.50. To accommodate an ever this service, regardless of their age
increasing number of clientele, the and level of income, and so the sociocafeteria space was expanded at economic markers of the clients vary.
the end of last summer. The smooth While some are low-income, others
running of the organization is pro- are middle class, but all require the
vided by a core of competent and food service because the alternadedicated people, all social work tive (ordering from a restaurant
professionals.
on a daily basis) is too expensive
Many volunteers work there, for them and doesn’t come with a
some for Meals on Wheels, a service friendly visit by a volunteer.
Volunteering means a lot. It
means helping others and feeling
valued at the same time. When we
deliver a meal, we’re always well
received, because clients are eager
to see us arriving with their meals.
Indeed, the vast majority of them
are regulars who appreciate the
food offered.
Working for an elderly clientele,
one would expect that customers
sometimes forget us and don’t
answer the door during the hours
of delivery, but this almost never
happens. This is probably because
their stomach is there to remind
them that we’re arriving! n
Food for Thought | 13 | Winter /Spring 2013 Holiday Wishes
from the Central
Committee
Food for Thought | 14 | Winter /Spring 2013 Nadia
Toute l’équipe d’Action CentreVille se joint à moi pour vous souhaiter un joyeux temps des fêtes
et une excellente année 2013. Que
celle-ci soit sous le signe du bonheur, de la santé, de la générosité
et du partage. Continuez votre
beau travail car il est essentiel.
Nous profitons aussi de l’occasion
pour remercier tous les bénévoles qui offrent temps et présence dans les différents services
alimentaires. Leur travail est une
véritable richesse !
The Central Committe visits Action Centre-Ville. Seated, Marilena Huluban, CAB Bordeaux-Cartierville; Kateri
Décary, Santropol roulant and Annie Boily, Place vermeil. Standing, Maria Montejo, C.A.D.R.E., Échange de
­services Lasalle; Natacha Dion, Le Rameau d’Olivier; Marjorie Northrup, CABM; Gerry Lafferty, New Hope
Center; Nadia Hébert, Action Centre-ville and Alicia Smith, Carrefour Saint-Eusèbe.
Maria
HOLIDAY WISHES
I would like to take this time to
wish each and everyone a Happy
Holiday Season and to say thankyou to all those involved with the
preparation and delivery of the
Meals on Wheels for their hard
work this past year.
Hope everyone has a very Happy
and Healthy New Year.
¡FELICES FIESTAS!
Pour tous et chacun un souhait de JOYEUSES FÊTES et MILLE
MERCIS pour votre engagement
dans la préparation et la livraison
de la Popote roulante.
Natacha
Annie
Bonne année et bonne santé ! Que
la joie de cette période remplisse
nos cœurs et nos âmes tout au long
de l’année à venir.
Joyeux Noël et bonne année à
tous !
Toute l’équipe de Place Vermeil
vous souhaite une nouvelle année
remplie de joie, d’amour et de
prospérité.
Kateri
À toutes les bénévoles et employés
des Services alimentaires bénévoles, je vous souhaite un temps
des fêtes chaleureux, qui sent bon
les biscuits et les tourtières au
four. Vous faites un travail formidable et précieux pour nos clients.
Gerry
“Merry Christmas and Happy New
Year from everyone at the New
Hope Senior Citizens’ Centre in
N.D.G.!!”
« Joyeux Nœl et bonne année
de tout de monde à Espoir Nouveau au N.D.G. !! »
Food for Thought | 15 | Winter /Spring 2013 Application for financial aid
Number and name of group_______________________________________________________________
Name of president_______________________________________________________________________
Address__________________________________________________Telephone_____________________
Number of volunteers_______________ Number of clients_________Number of meals per week________
Cost of meal preparation_____________ Price charged ____________Current bank balance____________
Amount of aid requested_____________ Expenses to be covered by aid_____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Signature
Name (please print)
Position in group
Date_____________________________ Please return to: Central Committee
2015 Drummond Street, Suite 300
Montreal H3G 1W7
Application for GST and TVQ refund
When your group buys any GST or TVQ taxable item, it is entitled to a 50% refund on the tax paid. This is because your group, as
part of the Volunteer Bureau’s Meals-on-Wheels and Lunch Club network, shares in the benefits of its status as a registered charitable organization. All you have to do is save your cash register receipts, invoices or other proof of having paid the GST and TVQ and
send them to the VBM with the coupon below.
The VBM’s bookkeeper will take care of your claim and send you the refund to which you’re entitled. In some cases, it might be a
small amount, but it’s your money!
Name and number of group_______________________________________________________________
Address__________________________________________________Telephone_____________________
To the Volunteer Bureau of Montreal:
Please find enclosed the originals of our cash register receipts, invoices or other proof of payment indicating a total of $_________
paid in GST and TVQ since ________________. We certify that all taxable purchases claimed were made for Meals-on-Wheels or
Lunch Club purposes.
Please include these payments in your next refund claims to Revenue Canada and the Ministère de Revenu du Québec and forward
us the refund to which we are entitled..
Signature
Name (please print)
Position in group
Date_____________________________ Please return to: Central Committee
2015 Drummond Street, Suite 300
Montreal H3G 1W7