Author event at the Local aims to raise funds, awareness for community food centre

Author Maggie Helwig will be in Stratford on May 5 from 6-8 p.m. to discuss her award-winning book Encampment.

An upcoming author talk at the Local Community Food Centre is bringing together literature, community conversation and fundraising efforts in support of the food centre.

Anglican priest and author Maggie Helwig will be in Stratford on May 5 from 6-8 p.m. to discuss her award-winning book Encampment, which explores homelessness, advocacy and community through her firsthand experiences in Toronto.

The event, hosted in partnership with Stratford Arts and Lectures, will serve as a fundraiser for the Local, with proceeds supporting its programs and services.

“This is our first event with a fundraising component, and we’re really excited to partner with the Local,” said Rina Barone, owner of Stratford Arts and Lectures. “We’re hoping for a full house.”

Barone said Helwig’s work is especially relevant in communities like Stratford, where issues surrounding housing and poverty continue to surface.

“Stratford’s not immune to any of these issues,” she said. “These are important conversations about what a community can do in terms of infrastructure, programs and support.”

The event will include a discussion, Q-and-A, meet-and-greet and book signing, while also offering attendees a chance to connect with the Local in a more informal setting over coffee, tea and light refreshments.

Organizers say hosting the event at the Local is intentional – not only as a venue, but as a way to introduce more residents to the space and its role in the community.

“To host something like this at the Local is huge,” said Julie Docker Johnson, community connector at the centre. “It brings people through our doors, and that’s so important.”

Docker Johnson said fundraising events like this go beyond financial support, helping to build awareness and strengthen community connections.

“All of these small fundraising efforts – whether it’s a bake sale or a lemonade stand – help raise awareness,” she said. “Every person who stops and asks what it’s for learns about the Local, and that spreads. It turns people into advocates for something that serves everyone in the community.

“But it’s not just about money. It’s about showing up – whether that’s coming to the market, sitting down for a community meal or having a conversation with someone who needs a job. Those connections are priceless.”

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online through the Stratford Arts and Lectures website. Organizers say the event is designed to be accessible and welcoming to all members of the community.

For more information, visit www.stratfordartsandlectures.com.