News & Events

November is Diabetes Awareness Month!

Did you know that 1 in 3 Canadians has diabetes? Let's stand together in the battle against diabetes by proudly wearing blue! The blue circle is the global symbol of diabetes awareness. It signifies the importance of raising awareness about diabetes, reducing its stigma, and promoting access to diabetes care and treatment for all.

The Food Cupboard Program, a part of the Health Promotion programming in Merrickville at Rideau Community Health Services is excited to be welcoming the CP Holiday Train back to the village on Monday, November 27th, 2023 at 4:45 PM.  This is the 25th year the Holiday Train has been supporting food banks and food shelves across our network by raising money, food and awareness for food insecurity issues. Since its inception in 1999, the CP Holiday Train has raised more than $22.5 million and more than 5 million pounds of food for community food banks across North America.

Rideau Community Health Services is a Community Health Centre in the Lanark, Leeds and Grenville region that provides primary care for rostered clients. Primary care is provided by both nurse practitioners (NPs) and physicians who work in a collaborative team environment. Like physicians, our nurse practitioners diagnose, order tests, consult with specialists, and provide ongoing and coordinated care to their clients. Our nurse practitioners help us to deliver comprehensive, accessible, and person-centered care to people of all ages and stages of life.

The RCHS Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Christopher Cummings as Board Chair, effective June 27, 2023. Thank you to Janet Cosier, our outgoing chair, for her leadership and dedication serving as Board Chair for the past 3 years, and as a board member for a total of 7 years.
 

The Rideau Community Health Services Board of Directors is pleased to welcome three new members to the board – Sharon O’Hara, Bridget Bygrave, and Tim Woods. The Board would also like to recognize the outgoing members, Janet Cosier, Terry Gilhen, and Don Palmer for their dedication and many contributions over the last several years.

The new members were ratified at the organization’s Annual General Meeting which took place on June 27, 2023 at the Smiths Falls Memorial Community Centre Hall.

Rideau Community Health Services extends a heartfelt thank you to the Chief Fire Officer’s Association of Leeds and Grenville, as well as all local area fire departments for their support during the first Annual Fire Department Food Drive.

The Fire Department Food Drive was an overwhelming success! In its first year, this initiative resulted in over 4,000 pounds of food being collected, and $8,500 raised in donations to be shared amongst 13 food banks in Leeds & Grenville to support the increased need in our communities.

The Board of Directors and staff of Rideau Community Health Services (RCHS) are pleased to announce that The Table Community Food Centre is this year’s recipient of our annual Community Recognition Award. This award, which was created in 2017, recognizes an individual or group who makes significant contributions to the communities we serve.

Rideau Community Health Services is proud to announce that we've been awarded a grant to begin a social prescribing program through the Alliance for Healthier Communities! On March 3rd, the Government of Canada formally announced a commitment of 4 million dollars which will support 28 Community Health Centres and Family Health Teams across Ontario with the training and support they need to begin implementing social prescribing and enhance the availability of community-based mental health promotion programs.

MEDIA RELEASE

Smiths Falls, Ontario, February 9, 2023 – Rideau Community Health Services in partnership with The Table Community Food Centre would like to extend the deepest gratitude to the many community partners for their assistance in supporting  food security in the area, including the Brown Bag Lunch program and other initiatives throughout the pandemic.

News Release – for Immediate Distribution

April 29, 2022

Smiths Falls – Today, Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, announced the Ontario government is investing up to $200,000 in Rideau Community Health Services (RCHS) in 2022-23. This funding will support the continued planning of the new Smiths Falls Integrated Health and Social Services Hub.