New Leaf Link: Helping People, One Cheesecake at a Time

John Curran | Feb 10, 2021

Disabled adults around South and Central Frontenac will be enjoying more programing during the ongoing COVID pandemic thanks to the team at New Leaf Link.

The not-for-profit recently completed a two-week fundraising blitz in partnership with Harrowsmith’s Cheesecakery Bakery during which time, its ambassadors managed to sell 212 cheesecakes – each one netting New Leaf Link $10 for a total of $2,120.

“Scormel (a combination of Score and caramel) was the most popular flavour,” said Christine Bell, who is a board member and fundraising committee member with the organization. “We started out with a goal of selling 100, but far surpassed that.”

A team of seven dedicated individuals sold the cakes with orders primarily taken from Gananoque, Delta, Harrowsmith, Sydenham and Kingston.

“We even made a new friend in Ottawa,” added Bell, “and we ended up with 28 orders alone from there.”

Friendship is really what New Leaf Link is all about.

“It has always been a friendship project,” said Bell, explaining that since the organization was founded in 2009 by South Frontenac resident Dr. Karin Steiner, it has been about connecting adults with no where else to turn for specialized programing. Steiner’s son Nicolas was actually the first participant after he was diagnosed with autism.

“Normally we would be working with 16-18 participants three days a week,” said Bell. “With the pandemic, we’ve had to switch to virtual programing which creates some added barriers but we’re still working with five or six participants regularly … we even picked up a new person from Westport.”

Less that optimal rural internet service and lack of support to help participants access the currently online sessions have been the main issues since COVID-19 hit.

Fortunately, the high energy team at New Leaf Link has always been dedicated, and they got an additional boost near the onset of COVID-19 when MacKenzie Lee joined their fundraising squad.

“She’s a goddess. She took us to another level,” said Bell.

Lee cut her teeth fundraising after her loosing Jerry Irwin, her father-in-law.

“My family started hosting what we called Irwin Family Events to raise money for different causes in memory of Jerry,” said Lee. “Our first one was a golf tournament in 2019.”

After doing an Irwin Family Event in support of New Leaf Link, Lee was invited to sit in on some of the organization’s programing.

“I’ve never heard of a non-profit doing that before,” she said. “All the participants were so friendly and welcoming … it is such an amazing group.”

The money will definitely be put to good use. Classes in everything from cooking and arts to karate and music help keep participants active and learning while also affording their parents and other caregivers a small amount of respite.

“We have no employees at New Leaf Link,” said Bell. “Our instructors are independent contractors, and we pay our bookkeeper, but that’s about it. All the money we raise goes back into participant programing.”

The group has been fortunate to receive some funding through the United Way and the Community Foundation – by way of the federal government’s emergency COVID response initiatives for not-for-profit organizations.

“We got $10,000 to upgrade our website and integrate everything with G-Suite,” said Bell, adding that allowed them to start hosting programs online. The group also received assistance last year to help create a new program delivery model for use during the pandemic. “We just got word that we received another grant that starts April 1, after the other one ends March 31.”

Helping adults with developmental disabilities can look like a lot of things, stressed Lee.

“These participants are people we’ve known all our lives; they are part of our communities, we’ve gone to school with them,” she said. “Once they are too old for school, there really isn’t a lot of support out there.”

Autism, brain injuries, blindness and cerebral palsy are just a few of the issues participants face every day. New Leaf Link not only gives them people they can connect with, but also a sense of purpose.

“Some of them are non-communicative,” said Lee. “When they come together, it’s all smiles.”