Family and Friends Newsletter

Hello Family and Friends of CLASS

We hope this message finds you in good health and high spirits. We are delighted to share some exciting news with you all. CLASS is thrilled to announce the launch of its #FIRSTCLASS Community Fridge, a project that has come to fruition thanks to the dedication and vision of our staff member, Courtney Johnson. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Courtney for her initiative and hard work in making this project a reality. We would also like to thank the volunteers and staff who have donated their time to this important project for the community.

To celebrate this momentous occasion, we invite you to join us for the grand opening of the FIRST CLASS Community Fridge on April 27th. In conjunction with the opening, there will also be a vendor craft show organized by another one of our staff members, Wendy Robinson. This event promises to be a wonderful opportunity to come together as a community, support local artisans, and witness the positive impact of initiatives like the community fridge.

If you are interested in becoming a vendor at this upcoming market please reach out to Wendy here.

We encourage all of you to mark this date in your calendars and join us. Further details about the grand opening and the vendor craft show will be shared with you soon. 

Thank you for your continued support and participation in our community initiatives. Together, we can make a difference. 

Grand Opening of FIRST CLASS Community Fridge:

The Community Living Association for South Simcoe (CLASS) Community Fridge will open its doors this Thursday, March 20th at 8 am.

The location of this food pantry is at 125 Dufferin St., Alliston, ON (entrance of north side of parking lot) and will operate 7 days a week from 8 am to 8 pm.

Inspired by other community food pantries, CLASS staff member Courtney Johnston proposed the idea to help those in the New Tecumseth area with food insecurity by opening a Community Fridge program.

With support from the County of Simcoe, CLASS is excited to announce the launch of a new innovative program for the community and the people we support. The goal is to address food insecurity in South Simcoe. The program will offer free access to nutritious foods while giving those we support some great on-the-job skills and knowledge to pursue employment in the community through volunteering. 

What is a “Community Fridge”?

A Community Fridge is where people who need food, can access the fridge, and take a few days’ worth of food. It also complements other resources available in the community to relieve hunger. No personal information is being collected to access the Community Fridge.

What are the hours going to be, where is it located and who can access it?

First CLASS Community Fridge will be open 7 days a week from 8 am to 8 pm. This will accommodate many different families working a variety of shifts. The fridge can be accessed by anyone in need from Simcoe County at our 125 Dufferin St location, in a separate room with outside access to the room only. 

What can be donated to the community fridge? 

Produce, dry goods, hygiene items, pet food, canned goods, fresh meats (not frozen or past best before date), store-bought bread and pastries, dairy products, eggs, prepared meals from a public health-certified kitchen (must be labelled with expiry date and possible allergens). 

Event dates: The CLASS Grand Opening of the Community Fridge will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2024, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 am. A vendor market will also occur the same day from 10-3 pm. The entry fee for the event is $2 or a food donation (as per above). Proceeds from this event go towards purchasing food for the Fridge program. This will take place at 125 Dufferin St. S., Alliston, ON.

Deputy Mayor Stephanie MacLellan will attend and do the official ribbon cutting and from the MPPs office Cathy Laws will attend. 

FORE! CLASS is excited to announce our upcoming golf tournament, and we need YOUR help to make it a success! We are reaching out to our local businesses and community to ask for your support in sponsoring this event. As our largest fundraiser of the year, your sponsorship will make a significant impact on the lives of the people we support. 

We have a variety of sponsorship opportunities available, ranging from donating to our online auction to sponsoring a person supported to golf, or even larger sponsorship options that come with many benefits. By sponsoring our event, you'll not only be supporting a great cause, but you'll also be promoting your business to our wide network of supporters and attendees. 

So, don't putt it off! Join us in making a difference in the lives of those we support by becoming a sponsor for our annual Golf Tournament. Contact us today to learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how you can get involved. Thank you for your support!

To sign-up as a golfer, sponsor or to donate click here. Click on below image to view sponsorship opportunities. All information can be viewed from the website as well.

Please note that our AGM has moved from September to June 2024

Save the date!

Ontario Developmental Services Need #5ToSurvive

We are calling on the Ontario government to provide an immediate 5% boost to developmental services agency core funding, as well as Passport and Special Services at Home. Make your voice heard alongside ours — send a message to your representatives at Queen's Park to tell them the developmental services sector needs #5ToSurvive

To read more on this campaign please click here.

Lunchbox



Did you know that Lunchbox has moved from the Everett Legion while they undergo renovations to the Knox Presbyterian church in Alliston? Please join us weekly.

Know someone who would like to join our lunchbox weekly soup emails? They can sign up here https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/SLTdrj2/CLASSicLunchbox

ABOUT CLASSIC LUNCHBOX

The CLASSic Lunchbox program provides an affordable meal and a gathering place for community members while providing employment skills training for people with intellectual disabilities. 

These employable skills include cooking, cleaning, money management, teamwork, customer relations and time management. 

The Everett Legion has been a big contributor to the success of this program as they provide their facilities free of charge for this weekly program and we plan to return to them when their renovations are complete. Please NOTE: our new temporary location is Knox Presbyterian Church in Alliston.

This is a profit-sharing program that is then divided between all who participate ,from the grocery shoppers, food preps and cooks, to servers and clean-up crew .

Read more on our website https://www.class.on.ca/social-innovation

Please note that all March and April Fee For Service must be registered online and the RC special outings for March can be emailed to myself for registration until April1 when they will then also be online.

Contact Kristie for any questions and fees for the program.

#ITSTARTS is a public awareness campaign designed to take a proactive step towards addressing racism and discrimination in Simcoe County.

#ITSTARTS works to promote a unified community that encourages collective action against racism and discrimination.

Get involved

The campaign runs every year during the month of March. CLASS will be highlighting the event on its social media the last week in March.

If you'd like to get involved in the campaign, you can: 

1. Request cards from the Local Immigration Partnership (sclip@simcoe.ca). Multilingual digital copies are available for download on this webpage.

2. Share your message on social media using the hashtag #ITSTARTS and tagging the County of Simcoe: 

Twitter - @simcoecounty 

Facebook - @CountyofSimcoe 

Instagram - @countyofsimcoe 

​LinkedIn - @CountyofSimcoe 

​​Your posts may include campaign cards, #ITSTARTS selfie frames, or content related to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. All posts promoting unified communities are welcome!​​

3. Perform acts of inclusivity within your sphere of influence (i.e. book or film club, multicultural celebrations). 

4. Join the Simcoe County Diversity Hub for additional resources. Contact sclip@simcoe.ca for access. 

Tim Ronan at Lunchbox - what a great time everyone had - view more photos on the website/

A visit to Big Al's Aquarium - view more on our website

These are the toys that Amazon returns and Dave and Sabrina have been busy building and fixing to hand out to people in the community. This is a partnership with the Bradford community church.

Our Vision:

An inclusive community where everyone is valued, diversity is a strength and all live with dignity. 

Our Mission: 

We foster personal journeys — as a provider of innovative programs and services, a credible voice for change and a trusted facilitator of success.

CLASS is a proud member of Community Living Ontario and Microboards Ontario.

Click on images above to learn more.