Dalton & Dave get new wheels for Calna & Co.

NEWS RELEASE

DAVID ORAZIETTI, MPP

************************* Orazietti announces $15,000 to purchase van for Soup

Provincial government supports Sault Ste. Marie community centre

SAULT STE. MARIE - The McGuinty government is investing $15,000 in the Sault Ste. Marie Soup Kitchen for the purchase of a van, which will be used to pick up donations and deliver food baskets in the community, David Orazietti MPP announced today.

“Our government supports community programs because they deliver innovative supports and services that improve people’s quality of life,” said Orazietti. “The Soup Kitchen is a tremendous benefit to the Sault and I am pleased that the purchase of this van will help with the delivery of hot-meals and donations to those in need."

The Soup Kitchen first opened in 1983 to provide hot meals in a low-income neighbourhood, but over time has expanded its mandate to become a community centre.

The Soup Kitchen provides a hot mid-day meal Monday to Friday to between 75 and 180 people daily.

In addition, the centre provides services such as a children's breakfast program, children's recreational program and emergency clothing and furniture.

"The Sault Ste. Marie Soup Kitchen Community Centre gratefully acknowledges and welcomes the grant of $15,000 from The Ontario Trillium Foundation for the purchase of a new vehicle that will enable the Soup Kitchen Community Centre to continue to offer our monthly Good Food Box program and will allow us to continue to pick up donations and supplies needed for daily programming," said Ron Sim, financial and food services coordinator, Sault Ste. Marie Soup Kitchen Community Centre.

The organization is run almost entirely by volunteers and is supported though donations from local businesses, churches, unions, service clubs, and the general public.

Other McGuinty government initiatives through the Ontario Trillium Foundation total over $3.8 million dollars and include organizations such as:

- $72,300 Sault Ste. Marie Canadian Hearing Society

- $57,400 Success through Schools c/o CAS

- $60,000 Sault Ste. Marie Symphony Association

- $60,000 Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club

- $98,700 Community Living Algoma

- $75,000 Sault Ste. Marie Skate Park

- $40,000 Christy's Light Foundation

- $511,800 Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre

- $40,000 Sault Ste. Marie Gymnastic Club

- $5,000 Program Read Sault Ste. Marie

- $45,000 Missanabie Cree First Nation

The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an agency of the Government of Ontario.

The foundation supports the growth and vitality of communities across the province and continues to strengthen the capacity of the volunteer sector through investments in community-based initiatives.

For more information, please visit here.

PHOTO CAPTION: From left, Calna McGoldrick, manager of the Soup Kitchen; MPP David Orazietti; and Sergio Saccucci of the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

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