Dear Neighbour,

My name is Laurie.

It was a sunny September Sunday morning when I decided to attend a Bluegrass Brunch at The Local. When I first entered the building, The Blurry Pickers were playing and I was approached by Kate, a staff member. I received a warm welcome, filled with positive energy. She must have sensed that I was there alone, so she took her break and had brunch with me. It felt terrific to have her company and enjoy some toe-tapping bluegrass music while watching kids dancing and enjoying it as well. The atmosphere was filled with positively charged electricity and shared smiles.

Three weeks later, Kate greeted me again as I was about to take part in the FoodFit program. We were nine in total and we went around the table introducing ourselves, talked about what brought us there, and what we hoped to take away at the end. When we got to one individual, she blushed a little and said ‘ I know I have to eat better, but I refuse to eat anything that flies or swims. Let’s see what we can do with that’. Her story became a success story, and she was pleased to tell us that she was able to go from fourteen medications to five by changing her food choices.

Since then, I have volunteered with eight FoodFit programs and spent a few years on the Board of Directors as a representative with lived experience. The Local has been such a positive entity in our community. My experience with The Local has been verypositive and rewarding in so many ways. It quite simply is my happy place!

The need for The Local’s services has increased by 200% since the start of the pandemic. Today, I’m writing to ask you to please make an urgent donation this holiday season.

Your gift will help more of our friends and neighbours enjoy healthier meals and take control of their health. And you’ll be at the heart of every “Come on in” here at The Local.