This week, October 5-11, is Community Health and Wellbeing Week and the Belleville and Quinte West Community Health Centre (BQWCHC) is celebrating.
This year’s theme is Power in Community: A Healthy Recovery that Works for Everyone.
It is a province wide celebration and because of the COVID-19 pandemic it is largely focused online.
Manager of Community Health Programs and Engagement Krista Vandermeer says this week is about recognizing and celebrating everyone’s work as we navigate the pandemic.
“It’s not so much kind of the talk about going back to the new normal, it’s going back to better. So what can can we do and how can we work better together and leverage what already exists in the community to better support people going forward.”
Vandermeer says the pandemic has highlighted food insecurity and a growing sense of loneliness.
The BQWCHC made comfort calls and home visits at the start of the pandemic as well as supported the access to and delivery of food and other supplies such as the Bear Hug initiative and wellness boxes and providing virtual access to programs and services.
Muriel receives a bear hug. (Submitted photo)
Vandermeer says they are still adapting the services they provide.
“We’re still in the process of just kind of adapting the services that we provide. So for the Belleville Quinte West Community Health Centre we typically offer a lot of groups, so we’re looking at how we can do that in a different way. We’re moving things online and just looking to be able to connect people and maintain that sense of connection within the community.”
To learn more about BQWCHC, visit their website.
