Latest news with #BarbRamsay
CBC
6 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Pilot project that provides community meals for P.E.I. seniors extended another year
Social Sharing Prince Edward Island is once again funding community meals for seniors after a successful start to its pilot project last year, the province's minister of social development and seniors says. First launched in 2024, the project provides grants of up to $5,000 so groups can host free community meal events for seniors. While still considered to be a pilot program, the reception has been positive so far, said P.E.I. Social Development and Seniors Minister Barb Ramsay. "The last thing that we want is for seniors to be home isolating and not getting out and… enjoying the summer months," Ramsay said, noting that the program will continue running into the fall and winter. "Any way we can bring seniors together and allow them to have some enjoyment is what the intention is." The province will spend $161,000 to support community meals hosted by 41 organizations across the Island, she said. The grants are intended for a dual purpose — to ease food insecurity among seniors, but also to address social isolation. Numbers from 2021 show that at least 6,000 seniors on P.E.I. were living below the poverty line at that time, and that was before steep increases in the cost of living. 'So important to them' Summerside's Parkview Senior Citizens Club launched the first of this year's provincially funded community meals with an outdoor ceilidh Wednesday afternoon. About 100 people gathered for live music and barbequed burgers. "Funding is always tight to get," said Gordie Whitlock, vice-president of the club. "Seniors don't tend to go out and fundraise a lot of money… so when the province steps up to the plate and provides opportunities like this, we obviously want to take advantage of it." Whitlock said the seniors club — which includes over 200 members — has worked hard since the COVID-19 pandemic to organize social activities for seniors. "One of the biggest problems seniors face is isolation and a lack of things to do, so this club is very important to a lot of senior citizens and things like this are just so important to them," he said. "It's just important that we allow seniors to come out and socialize and have fun, and this is a good example of that."
CTV News
6 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
P.E.I. approves funding for communal meals for seniors
Several organizations in P.E.I. have been approved for more than $160,000 from the provincial government to host free community meals for seniors. The provincial government made the announcement on Wednesday, saying a total of 41 organizations have been approved for funding through the Department of Social Development and Seniors. 'Our department is committed to improving the quality of life for older Islanders, reducing social isolation, and helping seniors better connect with their communities and peers,' said Social Development and Seniors Minister Barb Ramsay. 'These meals are a great way for older Islanders to visit with friends and neighbours while enjoying a delicious meal, and wonderful hospitality provided by these outstanding community organizations.' A pilot program was launched in 2024 called the provided funding to organizations to host these free communal meals for seniors in hopes of reducing social isolation and supporting meals for older Islanders. The province says the pilot was well received by the public, leading to the program being offered for another year with grants of up to $5,000 being awarded in June. 'We see first-hand the positive impact these meals create, and how healthy it is for seniors to be interacting with their peers and having a good time,' said the chair of the Parkview Senior Citizens Club Jim Steele. 'We are proud to partner with the province to deliver these community meals.' The province says it is also developing a new five-year Seniors Action Plan which will recommend measures in hopes of helping address the needs of P.E.I.'s aging population which the province expects to be released in the fall this year. For more P.E.I. news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTV News
04-07-2025
- CTV News
P.E.I. bringing back free ‘TechNTalk' info sessions for seniors
P.E.I. Minister of Social Development and Seniors Barb Ramsay (middle) is pictured with TechNTalk session coordinator Sydney Wheatley and Audrey Morris. (Source: Government of Prince Edward Island) The Prince Edward Island government is bringing back free information sessions this summer for older adults looking to learn more about technology. TechNTalk, which launched last year, returns to communities across the island starting next week. Adults aged 55 years and over will receive a short presentation about technology during each session and then some one-on-one help. A mix of staff from the Department of Social Development and Seniors, and younger volunteers with strong technological skills, will host them. The seniors will get tips on everyday technology like cellphones, tablets, and laptops, as well as tips on using social media and the internet. The department says the sessions support its goal of helping seniors build digital confidence and independence. 'From paying the bills, to communicating with loved ones, to keeping track of what's happening in the community, it is vital that older adults are confident in their use of technology to fully participate in society. These sessions aim to give older adults the fundamental skills needed to communicate effectively in today's digital world, while helping to reduce social isolation,' said Minister Barb Ramsay in a news release. While the sessions are free the province strongly recommends people register in advance. More information and a list of dates can be found online. For more P.E.I. news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CBC
31-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Higher demand expected as P.E.I. children's summer food program returns for 5th year
Social Sharing The province's Children's Summer Food Program is now open for registration, marking the fifth summer it has operated. Barb Ramsay, P.E.I.'s minister of social development and seniors, said the program served about 2,300 children and delivered around 143,000 meals last year. And those numbers may increase again this summer, she said. "Food insecurity is very concerning, but this is one of the programs that we have to combat that," she told CBC's Island Morning. "It's down 10 per cent. It went from 41 to 31," she said, referring to the most recent Statistics Canada data that shows the percentage of Island children living in food-insecure households dropped from 41 per cent in 2022 to 31 per cent in 2023. That's 10 percentage points or about 25 per cent. Ramsay said the province also supports P.E.I.'s school food program, which operates on a pay-what-you-can model during the academic year, and the seniors' food program. A poverty elimination strategy is currently in development and is scheduled to be released this fall. As for this summer's program, Ramsay said the total cost is not yet known because that depends on how many families sign up. The department budgets roughly $8 per meal. "We're prepared for whatever the cost is," she said. Families can register for the Children's Summer Food Program online through the P.E.I. government's website. Behind the meals Duke Cormier, owner of Fiveelevenwest in Summerside, is one of the local food suppliers for the program. Ramsay's department sends his staff the participant numbers — typically 450 to 500 children — and information about any special dietary needs. They prepare the meals, package and freeze them, and have them ready for delivery every Wednesday morning. The recipes used come from the province's school food program; Cormier's company is also a part of that. Cormier said the menu offers a diverse variety of dishes, ranging from sweet and sour chicken with rice, shepherd's pie, and burgers with mashed potatoes and vegetables, to creamy chicken pasta, lasagna, and butter chicken. "We try to do everything as healthy as we can. At the same time, there's a balance between healthy and what they'll eat," he said. "The P.E.I.'s school food program has done a very good job with their recipes to close that gap. "Originally maybe they were — and maybe it's a bad thing to say — too healthy. But now, they've got to the point where they're injecting vegetables, nutrition into every part of the meal they can." Having been with the program since it started, Cormier said he's proud of the work and care everyone put into this, from his business and the province to the delivery drivers. "We are in contact with our drivers all day long, for instance, and they've gone to a household, and perhaps the person's not home, and the meal's coming back. And then we're taking another bag back to them. There's an effort to try to really ensure that these people are getting reached." Ramsay added that this summer, the province plans to hire 25 to 30 drivers, and they've already received about 60 applications. "There's a tremendous amount of work that goes into this program, and I'm going to keep it going as long as I possibly can," the minister said.
CTV News
27-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
P.E.I. announces Children's Summer Food Program
Minister of Social Development and Seniors Barb Ramsay (centre), joins (from left to right) Chef Kevin Bottrill, Betsy Cormier, Duke Cormier, and Chef Steve Gallant from Fiveeleven West in Summerside. (Source: Government of P.E.I.) Prince Edward Island announced it will support the Children's Summer Food Program for 2025. The Children's Summer Food Program, established in 2021, is primarily intended for families currently receiving financial support through social assistance or assured income programs. The program delivers five nutritious frozen meals each week through July and August to children in households facing food insecurity, to fill the gap in between school food programs. 'We know there are Island families struggling to put food on the table in this time of high inflation and high food prices, and this program is an important part of our efforts to support them. As mandated by the Poverty Elimination Strategy Act, our government remains committed to addressing food insecurity in P.E.I. and we have made substantial efforts in this area,' said Barb Ramsay, minister of Social Development and Seniors. With a budget investment of $600,000, the program prepares meals sourced from local restaurants and catering companies and delivers them to homes across the province, a release from the province said. 'We value our community, and all the support we've received over the years, so we strive to make a positive impact where we can,' said Duke Cormier, owner of Fiveelevenwest in Summerside, one of the food suppliers for the program. 'Knowing that we are helping families who are struggling, and giving kids the nutrition they need to be healthy makes us proud to be a part of this effort.' Families not currently enrolled in social assistance or assured income programs but experiencing financial difficulties can apply through the registration form. Registration for the program begins Tuesday and will remain open for the duration of the program. For more P.E.I. news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
