It’s often said that volunteering to make a community better is a rewarding experience and that notion certainly applies to the Brunch Bunch as they celebrated their one year anniversary by serving up their 12th hot meal free of charge to the needy at Belleville’s Salvation Army Community and Family Services headquarters Saturday.
Thirty people were waiting at the door for the brunch which begins at 11:30 a.m.
On the last Saturday of each month, several members of the local legal community come together and cook up a tasty and nutritious meal for those people streaming in from the outside.
(Photo: John Spitters/Quinte News)
Defence lawyer Ruth Roberts came up with the Brunch Bunch concept and says “people from every corner of the courthouse have embraced this meal program. They are such enthusiastic volunteers and our customers love it and appreciate it! This is a perfect way for us in the justice system to give back and help needy people, some of whom are or have been involved with the law in one way or another.”
She is right. Overheard entering the dining room was a woman who seemed to be a relative newcomer to the brunches asking a volunteer if they were going to keep doing the meals once a month. When told that yes the brunches would continue she exclaimed “Oh good!! This is great! I love this!”
Over 100 volunteers are involved in the brunches in total with about a dozen of them working on any given Saturday. The Brunch Bunch program is completely self-funded by the legal community through donations of money or product.
(Photo: John Spitters/Quinte News)
Belleville city councillors Pat Culhane and Kelly McCaw are committed volunteers with the Brunch Bunch and Culhane says she’d love to set up a brain-storming session between all of the many food service deliverers in the community in an effort to streamline and simplify the various food programs now being offered at various locations.
