As it is in Ontario and Canada-wide, with Schools, Offices, Businesses, Events and Gatherings deemed as non-essential all closed and canceled as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, FAD Foundation chose not to see a weakened community, but to be further motivated and strengthened by the situation at hand. And used the opportunity to start a grocery home delivery service to senior citizens and disadvantaged or challenged persons in Ontario.
The project called “Friends for Seniors in Need,” was initiated by Godfrey Ssali, the CEO of FAD Foundation together with a friends and associates that saw the need to appreciate the great decades old contribution played by seniors in building Canada, and thus the need to happily support them when constrained by the raging pandemic whose end none of us can predict time wise.
We were inspired to begin this initiative after seeing our own neighbors’ grandparents greatly impacted by the emergence and spread of the virus. This meant no more exercise walks out in the parks, no more fresh air in the open gardens, no more visit by their children, grandchildren, friends and associates, no more shopping or access to see the open beauty of their surroundings, city and country at large.
Upon that background, FAD Foundation conducted a research study whose findings noted that there are people in our vulnerable populations in Toronto and Ontario especially seniors, the sick and disabled who don’t have family and or friends to rely on during these very hard times,” So we thought that maybe we can make their lives a little bit easier and also reduce the risk they face when exposed to COVID19.”
Through the project, FAD Foundation offers No-contact Grocery and Medication deliveries, Mails, Gifts and Parcel deliveries, shopping and laundry services to seniors and others in high-risk categories in Ontario.
Having started in March 2020 in Toronto, the group makes about160 deliveries per week and are growing much faster than anticipated initially. Accordingly, we have designated a person who deals with the Scarborough deliveries and one each for Toronto, North York, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham and Pickering.
The project has seen around 75 other youths join us to become volunteers. and the response has helped deliver a strong message of love, care and appreciation to the beneficiaries.
Moving forward, we hope to possibly expand the service to other provinces of Canada. It has definitely been inspiring to us to know that there are many people, like us, who want to give back to our communities. Teenagers, young adults interested, private companies, institutions and organisations interested in joining our project campaign for the delivery service are asked to email;secretariat@fadfoundation.org or info.fadfoundation@gmail.com or call the FAD Foundation Secretariat on Tel; 416-728-9113.