Volunteer News - 2026 Winter Edition

You’re Invited: 2026 Volunteer Appreciation!

Community Care Northumberland is excited to invite our incredible volunteers to our annual Volunteer Appreciation Event! This special gathering is our way of saying thank you - bringing everyone together to enjoy lunch, connect with fellow volunteers, and spend time with our staff. We hope you’ll join us for this well-deserved celebration!

Celebrating Our 2025 Ontario Volunteer Service Award Recipients!

Once again, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 2025 Ontario Volunteer Service Award recipients! These awards recognize volunteers who have demonstrated long-standing dedication and commitment to nonprofit organizations.

In September 2025, seven Community Care Northumberland volunteers were honoured with this prestigious award. Below are our recipients proudly pictured with their certificates and service pins - a true testament to their years of service and impact in our community.

Shirley Young - 25 Years

Nutrition Services

Wendy Zinck - 25 Years

Nutrition Services

Evelyn Conn - 15 Years

Wellness Services

Olga Mucci - 15 Years

Wellness Services

Sharon Anderson

- 10 Years

Hospice Services

Brian Fraser - 10 Years

Transportation Services

Jim Williams - 10 Years

Transportation Services

Volunteer Satisfaction Survey

Annual Declaration

It's that time again where all Community Care Northumberland volunteers need to complete their annual declarations. We ask for the declaration annually from our volunteers to ensure that we continue to meet our excellent standards for program delivery.

You can find a copy of the fillable document by clicking on the appropriate button below.

**Please note that there is a separate document for our Meals on Wheels Volunteers and Volunteer Drivers.**

Once you have filled out your document, please email it to volunteer@commcare.ca or drop it off at your local CCN Office by February 27th, 2026.

Please note that the fillable documents will not work on an iPad.

If you'd prefer a paper copy, please swing by your local office to fill it out.

Thank you for your attention to this matter!

CLICK HERE

Meals on Wheels / Volunteer Drivers:

CLICK HERE

Copy of Insurance

If you are a volunteer who drives for: Meals on Wheels or Transportation,

please send a copy of your insurance to Kelly at volunteer@commcare.ca or pop by your local office to provide a copy for our records. We appreciate your efforts to complete this annual task!

Nutrition Update

March For Meals

The March For Meals Event is just around the corner. Each year we reach out to our Local Mayors and Councillors to see if they would like to participate in this event. This event gives them the opportunity to deliver meals with our volunteers to clients homes. Once details are finalized we will reach out to you.

Christmas Deliveries

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for helping out with all of the extra items what were delivered with our meals – Santa Sacs, Placemats, Invoices. The Nutrition Team really appreciated the extra help.

Hospice Update

We are very grateful to Tiffany and Claude who are members of our Kitchen Volunteer team! Not only did they bring festive cheer to Ed’s House this holiday season, but they also prepared dinner for the residents and their families on December 25th. Thank you Tiffany and Claude!.

We appreciate our ongoing partnership with the TCS students in preparing Ed’s House for the holiday season. They spent 3 afternoons on site at Ed’s House and decorated both the upper and lower levels, including decorating the resident doors with wreaths. Thank you to the students and staff who participated!

Wellness Update

The Wellness Team officially wrapped up our 2025 Adopt a Grandparent Program on December 19th, delivering the final gifts to all 139 adopted seniors!

This program would not have been possible without the incredible support of our staff, volunteers, and generous donors. Because of you, many seniors experienced a brighter, warmer, and happier Christmas. We have received countless phone calls and emails sharing heartfelt thanks - and we are proud to pass that gratitude along to you. Thank you from Community Care Northumberland and the Wellness Team!

Adopt a Grandparent – Fun Facts:

Trent Hills: Over 40 gifts delivered by staff
Cobourg / Roseneath / Baltimore: Over 50 gifts delivered by one amazing volunteer couple!
Port Hope: Over 25 gifts delivered, shared between staff and a volunteer!
Alnwick / Haldimand / Cramahe: Over 20 gifts delivered by staff!

While our staff truly enjoy seeing the joy on seniors’ faces when gifts are delivered, we would love to involve even more volunteers in this part of the program. With additional volunteer support, gift delivery becomes more efficient - and even more meaningful.

If you enjoy spreading cheer and would like to help deliver gifts in future programs, we would love to hear from you! Please reach out to a member of the Wellness Team at wellness@commcare.ca or to our Volunteer Coordinator Kelly Robinson at volunteer@commcare.ca to learn more about getting involved.

We truly appreciate your support and would love your help!

The Wellness Team

Transportation Update

We want to thank all who answered the call for more Volunteer Drivers last fall. With more drivers we are in a better place for 2026 but there is always a need for more! If you or someone you know have a few hours to spare each week and want to make a real difference, we’d love to have you join our team.

With flexible scheduling and mileage reimbursement (50 cents/km), volunteering as a driver is a rewarding way to give back - helping your neighbours access the care and support they need.

"It helps me to be active in the community, and it makes me feel good helping people that are in worse shape than I am, some even younger than me. It's a good feeling being a benefit to the community and to seniors that need our help. It's hard to explain the feeling, but I have nothing but wonderful conversations."

- Marvin, Volunteer Transportation Driver

Learn more or apply today at www.commcare.ca, or contact us at 1-866-514-5774 or volunteer@commcare.ca

VPS WrapAround for Older Adults Update

New Year, New Connections: Make a Difference with the Volunteer Peer Support - WrapAround for Older Adults Program

Community Care Northumberland’s Volunteer Peer Support – WrapAround for Older Adults program is helping older adults feel supported, valued, and in control of their lives. Through personalized, strengths-based planning, trained volunteers walk alongside participants to build meaningful support networks, reduce isolation, and foster confidence and hope.

We are welcoming new volunteers and participant referrals for 2026. If you are looking to make a meaningful difference in the life of an older adult - or know someone who could benefit from this personalized support - learn more and get involved by visiting: https://commcare.ca/wraparound/ or contacting Kelly Peterson, Volunteer Peer Support Coordinator, at (905) 372-7356 ext. 102 or k.peterson@commcare.ca.

Volunteers describe the experience as deeply meaningful:

“It is rewarding and a much-needed service to our senior community… I feel we were successful in determining our client’s needs and creating a helpful team.”

-Volunteer

In-Home Services Update

We continue to have a wait list for our Home Help and Home Maintenance program and are looking for Brokered Workers to ensure that our clients get the support they need.

Home Help program assists clients to stay in their homes by providing light housekeeping, laundry, and meal preparation for $22 per hour.

Home Maintenance helps clients feel safe in their homes by performing duties like snow removal, lawn care, and odd jobs outside of the home. Compensation for this service is agreed upon between client and worker prior to the work being completed.

Workers select the number of clients they would like to provide service for, the number of hours a week/month they would like to work, and in which area(s) of the county they would like to work.

If you or someone you know would like to become a Brokered Worker, please contact the In-Home Team at inhome@commcare.ca or Kelly at volunteer@commcare.ca

What's New: Events & Updates

Sean Carthew Takes the Stage for Casino Royale!

We’re thrilled to welcome Sean Carthew as our emcee for Casino Royale on February 12 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope!

Bringing his signature wit, warmth, and showmanship, Sean is a natural storyteller with a background in theatre and writing and a talent for keeping the energy high and the crowd engaged.

A familiar and much-loved face in our community, Sean has played a key role in countless local fundraisers, comedy nights, and game show events, always upping the ante with his humour and heart. He’s also the creative force behind the beloved Fête en Rose during the Port Hope Salmon Run each September.

We couldn’t be more excited to have Sean leading the evening as we raise spirits, build momentum, and come together in support of Community Care Northumberland

GET YOUR TICKETS!

Handbags for Hospice - April 9, 2026

Mark your calendars! Handbags for Hospice is happening on April 9, 2026, at the Best Western Plus Cobourg Inn and Convention Centre.

We can’t wait to reveal more details and exciting news with you soon!

Tinsel Town Christmas Taproom Raises $12,592.50 for CCN!

From November 28 to December 20, a beloved spot in Cobourg welcomed guests to a holiday pop-up bar in support of Community Care Northumberland.

This generosity means we can provide over 1,200 Meals on Wheels or 80 essential rides for neighbours in need.

A huge thank you to Lindsay Edwards and her NOCO Realty team, Jenna Campbell of George & Orange, Amanda da Silva from THE EL, and all the volunteers who made this magical event possible!

Dates to Remember!