The keys to Harvest Algoma have been handed over to the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre, which will convert the food security charity into a self-sustaining social enterprise over the next three years.
A ceremony was held at the Harvest Algoma Food Resource Centre on Thursday afternoon, bringing together many of the partners that supported the program’s new future after its first five years in operation under United Way of Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma District.
“Harvest Algoma has proven a valuable resource in helping to address food insecurity in our community and it is paramount that our community works together to provide assistance needed to those who need it most,” said Mayor Matthew Shoemaker, addressing the crowd at the centre.
The warehouse floor had been mostly empty for months as large food deliveries from southern Ontario were put on hold because of Harvest Algoma’s uncertain future. On Thursday, there were skids of fresh produce from the first of what is sure to be many deliveries to the Food Resource Centre.
Harvest Algoma’s future was assured for the next three years due to commitments from the agencies and organizations that rely on the program, as well as charitable and private sector donations.
Algoma Steel committed $120,000 over the next three years toward Harvest Algoma and the Dr. Lou And Mae Lukenda Charitable Foundation also made a sizable donation toward the project.
As recently as a few weeks ago, the future of Harvest Algoma was not so bright.
“The hope was we would be able to get here and at times it looked like we might not,” Shoemaker told SooToday, after the ceremony. “To know we are at the day where we have gotten everybody around the table to chip in and continue its success — that is rewarding.”
Along with DSSAB CEO Mike Nadeau, Shoemaker took on the role of cheerleader in bringing all those partners to the table after the initial plan for SSMIC to take over operation of Harvest Algoma fell through.
Nadeau told SooToday the takeover and continued operation of Harvest Algoma is going to benefit the whole community.
”A lot of the agencies the DSSAB works with will benefit, but there are also a lot of people in the community who don’t receive any services from the DSSAB who are struggling right now — whether they be a student or a senior who is not in social housing — this is just a great day for the community,” said Nadeau.
Harvest Algoma will now be operated under SSMIC’s Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN) division, which was founded almost exactly 10 years ago.
David Thompson, director of RAIN, said the past year has been an education for himself and the team as a plan was formed to take over the operation of Harvest Algoma.
He said one of the next steps will be to form an advisory committee from community partners, and Thompson hopes to hear from food banks and grassroots organizations about their specific needs.
“Over the next few months we are going to be meeting a lot of people and forming that advisory,” said Thompson. “As we develop, what we want to do is have a better system so we can properly track the amount of food that comes thorough here so we can get better at streamlining our process or maybe looking at different ways to do the logistics and delivery.”
Jane McGoldrick, once the head chef of Harvest Algoma under the United Way, will return to the organization as general manager under RAIN. She is a well-known local chef and business leader in the community.
“It’s great because she has that entrepreneurial experience from owning a few different businesses, as well as bringing the chef perspective in culinary innovation — which is a great combination in what we want to accomplish here,” Thompson said.
For her part, McGoldrick said she is looking forward to the challenges that will come with the day-to-day management of Harvest Algoma.
“It’s great because we have so much support, we now have the funding and we are able to launch all of these products to make it sustainable and we will have longevity for a long time to come,” she said.
Thompson said additional staff will be hired for the operation of Harvest Algoma, and RAIN has taken on the two staff members who remained in the program under United Way. Equally important, said Thompson, is maintaining the volunteer component of the program.
“It’s great that we are retaining a number of core volunteers who have been here from the start,” he said.