For long-time volunteers Susan and Tim Diewold, each week at Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) is an opportunity to build relationships.
Twice a month, the retired couple prepares food for participants in the Morning Star program. During the pandemic, they began delivering meals and groceries to local seniors, too.
“Volunteering is important and we’ve seen the positivity of it,” said Susan, 65.
Working with other volunteers through Morning Star, the retired couple have been able to make friendships over the years.
Meanwhile, supporting CNH’s Seniors team through regular food deliveries has allowed them to foster relationships with program participants as well.
“When we deliver food Thursday, we phone clients and ask what they want,” Susan explained. “They give a list and we incorporate that into our day.”
“That’s been fun because we generally go to the same clientele.”
For Susan and Tim, this means learning more about participants beyond their food needs. With one senior, this meant bonding over sports. With others, it’s listening to stories they choose to share.
“It’s something we really enjoy during the week,” said Susan. “Thursday is ‘Collingwood Day’ so we try to do what we can.”
For information about volunteering with CNH, please visit our volunteer information page.