Shingwauk Residential School donates shoes to Nogdawindamin

Shingwauk Residential School Centre has donated shoes from the recent memorial placed at Algoma University to Nogdawindamin Family and Community Services.

"With the recent news pouring in regarding the remains of Indigenous Children being recovered across many former residential schools, the community has come together at the former Shingwauk Residential School to honour the remains of Indigenous children found on the grounds of residential schools," said a release from Nogdawindamin. "These memorials have provided a place for grief, healing, and education."

“Nogdawindamin Family and Community Services were honoured to be approached by representatives from Algoma University as an Indigenous Community Partner to accept these shoes and provide them to families across the North Shore First Nation Communities and our Community Partners," said Kerry Francis, Chief Executive Officer in a prepared statement. "Our Elders and Knowledge Keepers have ensured that all cultural ceremonies have been completed before gifting these shoes to another child."

Tino Ficociello, Team Supervisor, Access Department at Nogdawindamin, echoed Francis' sentiment.

"In this painful reality, the Access Department is honored to have received the shoes that were placed at Algoma University formally Shingwauk Residential School," Ficociello said. "All shoes were smudged, categorized by size and gender(s)."