Pelham Cares exists to help the residents of Pelham help each other. The community service organization, founded more than 25 years ago by local churches as a community partnership, is run by volunteers in a temporary location. The main services are a food bank and a transportation service to take individuals to medical appointments.

Pelham Cares exists because service clubs, citizens, schools, local businesses, financial institutions and churches provide food, donate program-specific funds and other services to sustain operations from year to year. Pelham Cares has been able to successfully meet the community need for a quarter-century without any sources of steady income, nor with a permanent location. But with the need for Pelham Cares’ services on the rise, even before the impact of the current economic climate, a permanent home is needed for the operation of this essential Town service.

To accommodate this growing need, and to help strengthen the operation of Pelham Cares’, the Rotary Club of Fonthill has initiated a new community partnership. Their goal is to lead fundraising for a permanent home for Pelham Cares, along with securing sources of steady income.

As a result, community groups, churches, businesses, individuals and Pelham Cares representatives have come together for Project Pelham Cares, the permanent home project.

The Project Pelham Cares Committee is working right now behind the scenes to develop the best-case scenario for a permanent home, while organizing a fundraising campaign.

Significant funds have already been pledged or donated to the campaign, which hasn’t yet entered its official public stage.

To date the following events have been organized to help raise funds for Project  Pelham Cares:

• The Mayor's Inaugural Gala
• The Town of Pelham Easter Egg Hunt
• Birdhouse Decorating Contest

For more information on Project Pelham Cares, contact Carolyn Mullin, committee chairwoman, at fonthillrotary@cogeco.ca