Local companies have come together to create a fun way to celebrate Canada Day, all while social distancing and supporting youth facing homelessness in our community.
The Picnic Project was created by Home Horizon Barbara Weider House in partnership with Road Runner Foods, Georgian Hills Vineyards, The Pop-Up Event Company and The Print Shop, as a way for the community to get outside and enjoy a picnic with their people.
“After months of self-isolating, people are dying to get outside,” said Deb Piggott, the fund development manager for Home Horizon Barbara Weider House. “Who doesn’t like having a picnic? Especially having someone else prepare it for you, and at the same time you are supporting a really important and critical not for profit in the area.”
Home Horizon, a local charitable organization, built the Barbara Weider House in 2017 to address youth homelessness in our community.
The Weider House bridges an identified gap between emergency shelter and independent living for youth between the ages of 16 and 24, providing them with services that cater to their individual needs — from mental health and medical support to education, and everything in between.
In addition to being the only youth transitional home in the South Georgian Bay area – it has been full since it opened in July 2017 — Barbara Weider House also offers an outreach program to over 50 youth from Meaford to Wasaga Beach.
“We have a really great success rate in terms of the house, but it is more than just the house. It’s a program and services we are offering in the community,” said Piggott.
The goal of The Picnic Project is to help raise money so that Barbara Weider House is able to continue to grow in order to meet the needs of the community.
The project will kick start on Canada Day, with picnics available for pick up at Georgian Hills Vineyards or the Road Runner Food Truck, which will be parked at the Collingwood YMCA on July 1.
Canada Day orders need to be placed by Sunday, June 28, with the first 100 people to order receiving a special gift.
The picnics are individually priced between $25-35 so people can choose any number or combination of three different picnics: Backyard BBQ Picnic, Vineyard Picnic or Georgian Bay Surf and Turf Picnic. All of the proceeds will be donated to Barbara Weider House.
Road Runner Foods will provide all of the catering and wine and cider pairings will be available through Georgian Hills Vineyards.
“As a fundraiser, I always want to look for the win-win,” said Piggott. “How can we collaborate with and support local businesses as well as raise money.”
Michael Donovan, from The Print Shop, provided all of the cardstock and Amanda Jerome, the owner of the Pop-Up Event Company, assisted in all of the logistics of the fundraising event.
After Canada Day, the Picnic Project will run through to Thanksgiving Weekend. Order any of the three picnics for curbside delivery Tuesday through Sunday by noon the day prior to when you plan to picnic with your people. Piggott said the menu will likely change throughout the summer.
“It can be enjoyed even if the picnic happens in your backyard with your bubble of people, or in another isolated area outside,” said Piggott.
The goal is to sell 100 picnics in time for July 1. After the project ends on Oct. 12, the companies will come together to present the grand total of funds raised.
“I think people are feeling that they want to help. This is a really, really strange time in our world and people who can, want to help,” said Piggott.
Picnic orders can be placed at [email protected].
