Some elves in Ramara Township help to ensure local families have food on their tables — especially at Christmas.
Susan Potalivo is one half of a two-woman team that leads the Feeding Families program in Brechin.
The initiative started as a canned food drive during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, it has evolved into something bigger.
“As COVID got larger and larger, there was a demand, and we just kind of took it on from there,” says Potalivo.
She and co-founder Jane Lee now organize the initiative to support 18 families in Brechin.
“We now meet with the families once a month. So, usually, the third Tuesday of every month, we meet with the families. Foodland up here in Brechin — any items like the meat or baked goods that are going to expire, they freeze them for us,” Potalivo explained.
“Then, every Tuesday, we go pick them up and we put them in a freezer, and then when we meet with the families every month. That’s with the Good Food Box; we just divide all the food evenly according to the size of the families.”
Potalivo oversees fundraising for Feeding Families. She organizes fundraising events and donation drop-offs.
“We never give cash. It’s only gift cards,” she says. “That was one of our main concerns, that this is solely for food.”
Feeding Families also relies heavily on the generosity of both local organizations and residents.
Potalivo highlighted one member of the community who gives generously and consistently.
“A friend of mine, Karin Stewart, every year she gives us $100 per child, in gift cards. So, this year she gave us $4,000 in Giant Tiger gift cards. So, $100 goes to each child. That’s every year; she’s very generous. We call her ‘Santa Karin.’ We give families Foodland gift cards as well.”
Community support is vital to a donation-based campaign like Feeding Families.
The Brechin & District Lions Club is one of the key supporters of the program, playing an essential role in its success. They donate in support of the Good Food Boxes.
Families can order these boxes once a month. They are filled with fruits and vegetables that are expensive, but essential.
The Lions Club funds the food box program run by Potalivo and Lee.
“We pay for them,” says Bert Ruhl, club president. “They tell us how much they cost, and we give them the money.”
Ruhl says the club is made to support programs like this.
“That’s what the Lions do. We’re a service club, so we’re there to help others. There’s no monetary gain for any of us; we don’t get paid for this, so it’s all volunteer work,” he says.
“It’s very gratifying to see people get help that way, to raise money to buy food, and Feeding Families also uses some money to buy coats and clothes and toiletries … because people need lots of things," said Ruhl.
"So, it’s gratifying and satisfying, fulfilling, all the good, positive attributes for me personally. I think the whole club is the same way; we all feel good about doing these things.”
The club also runs two fundraising events specifically for the Feeding Families program throughout the year.
“In conjunction with the Brechin Legion, we do a Santa’s Breakfast, which we just had two weekends ago, and we do one in the spring, for Easter, another Easter breakfast. All that money goes to Feeding Families,” says Ruhl.
The Lions also support the Feeding Families program through fundraising events like the Brechin Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign. This year, they were able to raise $3,509.50, half of which will go toward Feeding Families.
Ruhl says the Lions Club is always looking for new members or volunteers to help with their work.
“You don’t have to become a member if you just want to come help us with events. We’re very grateful for that,” he says.
Potalivo says Feeding Families’ focus is to provide food for families throughout the year, not just around Christmas.
“It’s very rewarding to know that you’re helping people that the community has helped to support. This community is huge; it has a big heart,” Potalivo says.
The Legion, its Ladies’ Auxiliary, the Lions Club, and Timber Mart all pitch in, she says.
During the holiday season, the Township of Ramara also steps in to help, hosting drop-off locations and places to collect money for families in need of support. This festive season, the campaign raised $12,609.50, according to a news release from the township.
“Just at Christmastime, that’s when the township steps up and they put it out to the community of Ramara, seeing if anyone wants to donate. Then they divide that up through all of Ramara to the schools,” says Potalivo.
“They give us all the toys and canned goods. The gift cards, they give to the schools, and then whatever families come forth, they help them.”
Potalivo believes the demand for support will only increase over the next few years, but she and Lee plan to continue their efforts indefinitely.
“I think, next year, we’re probably going to gain more families just because of the way they’re talking about the price of food. It’s been growing,” she says.
“When Jane Lee and I started this, we didn’t want to stop it, so we just kept on going and going, and it’s gotten bigger and bigger and bigger," said Potalivo. "I think we may have to register as a non-profit just so people can get receipts for their donations. We’re going to look into that, which costs money, but I think it’s something that we’ll do forever.”
Potalivo can be reached at [email protected] for more information about donating to the Feeding Families campaign.
Abigail Noble is an intern from Carleton University.
