'We don't want to see anyone go hungry': Community Living Algoma delivering food donations to local agencies

Community Living Algoma has used some unusual circumstances arising from the COVID-19 crisis in order to help feed some of the city's most vulnerable. 

New York Fries and Freshly Squeezed both closed up shop in the Station Mall food court this past week due to the ongoing pandemic, but not before donating nearly 1,500 pounds of potatoes and four cases of bananas, respectively, to Community Living Algoma.

The agency - which provides supports and services for people living with intellectual disabilities - then, in turn, deployed its community support workers to deliver the donated food to local agencies in Sault Ste. Marie.   

“We went and picked them up, and we donated where we could - St. Vincent, Pauline’s Place, Women in Crisis, The Salvation Army,” said Corry Cornacchio, manager of community participation supports and transportation services for Community Living Algoma. “We got a hold of people in the community who we knew through supporting them - that needed some help with some groceries - and gave them some.”

When community support workers arrived at Station Mall to pick up the donated potatoes from New York Fries, staff with Freshly Squeezed approached them and offered to donate bananas as well.

Cornacchio tells SooToday that it was simply a matter of being in the right place at the right time.      

“It’s great to know that as a community we can come together and help each other out in a time like this,” she said. “To be able to give back - the community gives a lot to the people we support and the folks that we provide service to, so it’s great that we can give back to the community.”

Community Living Algoma says it will gladly come and pick up any excess food that businesses would care to donate in order to distribute it to local agencies.  

“We’ll take whatever the community is willing to give up, as these businesses find themselves in times that they might not be able to use what they have, and we’ll make sure it gets distributed into the community,” Cornacchio said. 

Community Living Algoma has met with its partners in the community to talk about helping others in need of meals or groceries who are served by other agencies locally. 

“We’re hoping that we’re going to be able to help out with some meals and some groceries for folks that don’t meet our mandate for the agency, but they have other agencies involved,” said Cornacchio. “We don’t want to see anyone go hungry.” 

Cornacchio says the donations received by St. Vincent Place, The Salvation Army, Pauline's Place and the Sault Ste. Marie Soup Kitchen Community Centre serves as a much needed, feel-good story during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“I think it’s just about a community coming together, and it’s about being able to be there for each other during these times, making sure that we’re working together, we’re staying safe - and that we’re taking care of the vulnerable people in our community that need it,” she said.

Businesses looking to donate food to local agencies can contact Cornacchio directly at (705) 206-3871.