Charity chocolate company gets some sweet news from the province (5 photos)

The Ontario government is providing Sweet Change Chocolate Company with $73,755 in order to help the social enterprise project get off the ground.

The business - owned by the Centre for Social Justice and Good Works - will help mentor and train people to work in the manufacturing, wholesale and retail sectors of the chocolate company, situated on the corner of Queen Street East and Gore Street.

“We started this business because we wanted to teach people about manufacturing, wholesale and retail skills, and we had to have a hands-on environment,” said Christina Coutu, executive director for the Centre for Social Justice and Good Works. “So we looked for a conduit to teach, and we found that chocolate was a really great way of teaching these three essential skills.”

“We believe that by coming out of our one-year program and graduating, the participants will really have a great overall understanding of a business model,” “They’ll be able to be better employees, because they’ll understand what it takes for an entrepreneur to start a business, but they’ll also have the skills, which brings them motivation and confidence they need to obtain whatever goal they’re working towards - education, entrepreneurship or employment.”

Sault Ste. Marie MPP Ross Romano - who joined stakeholders at Sweet Change Chocolate Company Friday to make the funding announcement - says the funding will be used for equipment and the creation of two full-time jobs.

“That will be used to help expand the existing training programs here, and purchase some equipment to be able to get the facility moving forward,” Romano said during Friday’s announcement. “In addition, this funding will allow for the creation of two new full-time jobs.”

The Centre for Social Justice and Good Works, along with partnering agencies, aim to train 150 people over a five-year period, with the intention of helping people find employment, starting their own business or obtaining a level of higher education.

Mike Nadeau, chief executive officer for the District of Sault Ste. Marie Social Service Administration Board (DSSMSSAB), says that the social services board was desperately looking for social enterprise to partner with.   

“This year, we’re going to have 15 people from Ontario Works that are going through the training program,” said Mike Nadeau, chief administrative officer for District of Sault Ste. Marie Social Services Administration Board. “We’ve committed basically to putting 75 people through the training program over the next five years, so we’re really, really encouraged with the results.” 

“The hands-on approach, the mentorship that the centre is able to provide, is exactly what people on social assistance need. What the centre’s doing is giving them a dream, giving them a chance.”

Coutu says that the Sweet Change Chocolate Company - which has been bankrolled through federal and provincial funding, along with help from DSSMSSAB and other sources - is ultimately looking towards sustainability.

“Through the sales of chocolate, we will be able to create a sustainable business model for the Centre of Social Justice and Good Works, so that we no longer have to rely on government funding,” Coutu said.

The Sweet Change Chocolate Company is currently in the process of acquiring additional chocolate-making equipment, with renovations on the new establishment taking place over the past few weeks.

“It’s going to take us a little bit of time to really get going, and having people understand that we have a local product here that’s not only chocolate, but it’s going to be change through chocolate by creating a lot of great things in our community with the people that we’re working with,” said Centre for Social Justice and Good Works board chair Frank Sarlo.