On Wednesday, September 23, members of the Greater Napanee Fire Department—Kevin Duncan, Dean Martin, and Dan Chalk—paid a visit to Morningstar Relief Mission to distribute fire prevention resources and lend a hand with the takeout meal program.

“If there’s a need, we do what we can to help out,” said Kevin Duncan, Fire Prevention Officer, “As career firefighters we’re fortunate to be available during the day and to have chiefs who allow and encourage us to help the community wherever we can.”

Greater Napanee Fire Services has a long history of helping vulnerable people across the municipality. Many members of the department pitch in at Morningstar’s Easter dinner and they regularly support the Salvation Army food drives. Duncan says “COVID-19 has affected a lot of our fundraising and the things we do to help charities. Morningstar's clients are people we are familiar with and we want to do whatever we can to have an impact.”
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Email Morningstar@cogeco.net for more information about how you and your family or friends can volunteer for our mobile meal program. A variety of flexible shifts are available. To make a donation to support Morningstar please visit our CanadaHelps.org page. 

Prior to March, 2020, before COVID-19 brought Morningstar Relief Mission's community meal program to an abrupt halt, we were serving approximately 250 meals per week, locally.

Today, thanks to swift action by local businesses, a core group of about 50 tireless volunteers, and generous grants from the United Way, the Community Foundation for Lennox & Addington, and Prince Edward Lennox & Addington Social Services, Morningstar has shifted to a pickup and delivery model serving nearly 1,000 meals per week.

With our cooks and volunteers working from the Napanee Lion’s Club Hall location, we have dedicated teams performing dedicated tasks. These talented individuals continue to work miracles with menus, making the best use of donated food from local grocers, farmers, Lion Hearts, and others. With their ingenuity and flexibility we are able to provide delicious, nutritious meals with minimal food waste. Meal packaging and distribution teams and drivers do the rest: getting food to clients, many who are shut-ins with complex medical conditions.

COVID-19 has also ushered us into unprecedented spirit of partnership that has helped us to broaden our reach. In July we joined forces with the New Legacy Centre—a store-front, drop-in centre on the main street of Tamworth—and their volunteers are now distributing Morningstar meals in a previously under-serviced rural area. Land O’ Lakes Community Services has just recently come on board for weekly meal pickup beginning in October. 

The good news is that we have creatively refined meal preparation processes, built capacity, and expanded the compassionate support we offer to people in need.

The bad news is that we know there are still many more people to reach and the call to respond to COVID-19—due to the health risks, social isolation, and economic devastation—is as important as ever. 

If you wish to support Morningstar Relief Mission you can donate to us online by visiting our page on CanadaHelps.org. You can also mail your gift, or drop if off in person, to the Morningstar office at 59 Water Street, Napanee, K7R 1V5.