NEWS RELEASE
NIAGARA REGION MÉTIS COUNCIL
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The Niagara Region Métis Council has found a fun way to engage senior citizens and build community while also providing them help to combat food insecurity.
“They won’t admit it,” says Niagara Region Métis Council President Derek Pont. “But a lot of them are living alone and off of pensions.”
With help from a Métis Nation of Ontario food security program, Pont and the local Council were able to use the money to purchase non-perishable food items to hand out to Métis seniors living in the Niagara Region.
“I’m not a fan of just saying, ‘Here's a gift card, go buy yourself some food,’” says Pont.
While not traditional Métis territory, Southern Ontario is home to many Métis citizens who, despite living outside of their traditional homelands, rely on the Métis Nation of Ontario for critical social and cultural supports. Many of these programs are delivered at the local level by volunteer-led Community Councils, such as the Niagara Region Métis Council.
Looking for an innovative way to help seniors, President Pont, who is also the Chair of the Indigenous Education Circle for the Niagara Region, heard about a local Indigenous Friendship Centre handing out food by holding Senior Food Bingos during one of their meetings.
Pont thinks it is a great opportunity to engage seniors, which sometimes face barriers to attending regular meetings or events the Council holds. Pont says that bingo has always been a favourite for Métis seniors in the community.
“Not all seniors are the same. You have to think of different strategies for engaging with them.”
President Pont says the Food Bingos see about 15 to 20 seniors at a time. Along with the non-perishable food items, participants can win larger prizes, like gift cards that can be used to purchase meats and produce.
In addition to receiving food items, the event helps seniors be active in the community and meet other Métis community members.
“Some of them are finding they live a kilometer apart. So now they can go for coffee outside of Seniors Bingo.”
President Pont hopes to be able to hold at least 5 more Senior Bingos over the next year.
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