Aylmer Food Centre welcomes the community during a successful open doors event

Jude Osmond

The Aylmer Food Centre hosted its first edition of the “Open Doors “event on Friday, May 30. The event provided an opportunity for supporting businesses to introduce themselves and establish their presence, thereby increasing awareness of them among the public.

All the companies at the event were partners with the food bank and have worked with them in the past.“ The aim of the open door event is to inform the public about the various partners with whom we have agreements. ,’’ Denis Parizeau, Aylmer Food Centre general director told the Bulletin.

There were a total of 20 partners, each with distinct purposes and messages tailored to their target audience, encompassing a range of self-care businesses, mental health services, and senior assistance services.‘We have various services here at the food bank, .’’ Parizeau said.

“This kind of event helps us connect with the community; it helps us reach the people that we need to reach,” said Lulu Anoli Ezeocha, the owner of her own company, Lulu Anoli Health Care Solutions.

Anoli Ezeocha provides senior assistance through arts and crafts to help isoloated people feel more connected.

Mercedes D’Trinidad, the Program Director for the Aylmer Food Centre, emphasized that Food Centre partners are there for the community and not to be shy about coming to the food centre, and asking for help.

Another goal of the event was to let people know that they are not just a food bank. They have partners who provide additional resources, such as mental health support, social well-being services, and more.The event featured numerousactivities, and wellness workshops were also hosted by people upstairs in the building. One of the workshops that drew a crowd was the vermicomposting workshop, hosted by Nicole Fieger, a waste management expert.

There was a cooking activity, a gardening activity, a painting activity and a waste management activity. There were also some sweets being handed out, made by an excellent kitchen crew from the Aylmer Food Bank.

The event was a success, as all the partners were busy throughout, and most of the workshops were filled to capacity with people.