Local Red Cross wins national award

The Sault Ste. Marie Red Cross Community Garden project (shown) is one of two initiatives that helped the local chapter win a national award.

The Allard Street garden and the Red Cross Community Kitchen program have been recognized with a Canadian Red Cross National Prix D’Excellence Award, to be officially presented next Thursday (November 20).

The kitchen and garden programs were started five years ago, supported by annual donations from the United Way.

Since then, the two programs expanded to include partnerships with Ontario Works, District Services Administration Board (DSAB), Trillium Foundation, March of Dimes, Children’s Aid Society, Algoma Health Unit, Community Living Algoma, Community Soup Kitchen, Brain Injury Association, Sault Area Hospitals, Teen Centre , Service Clubs and Churches, Sault Ste. Marie Horticultural Society and Clean North.

Red Cross Community Kitchens bring together vulnerable individuals and families to pool resources and create healthy, cost-efficient meals to bring home.

Community Kitchens work in conjunction with the Red Cross Community Garden Program which bring participants of the Kitchen together to plan, plant and tend their garden plot. The fresh produce grown in the garden is used for their Community Kitchen and/or for individual participant use.

The award presentation will take place at noon next Thursday at the Red Cross Office at 105 Allard Street.

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