Community Builders Awards: Environment winner takes pride in nourishing our community

Harvest Algoma, a dynamic food resource centre in Sault Ste. Marie, prides itself on empowering lives and supporting the city’s most vulnerable. 

Its facilities include a warehouse, large kitchen and greenhouses that help Harvest Algoma to support over 70 local non-profit agencies, including Algoma Family Services, St. Vincent Place, Indigenous Friendship Centre, Child Care Algoma, Salvation Army, Community Living Algoma and more. It even supports agencies as far as Bruce Mines Food Bank and Thessalon Food Bank.

With its mission of confronting food insecurity head-on and ensuring nutritious food reaches those who need it the most, Harvest Algoma plays a pivotal role in reducing waste and supporting our region’s food system.

“This was a pleasant surprise,” said Lauren Moran, community enterprise manager at Harvest Algoma, when told about the organization’s Community Builders Award win in the Environment category.

“For a while, we didn’t have a whole lot of public awareness. Just knowing that there are people out there recognizing the work we are doing and the importance of it is very validating,” she added. “This tells us that we’re heading in the right direction and encourages us to keep doing what we’re doing.”

“Food is the cornerstone of everything. Everybody needs food. We realize the impact we have on the people we work with and our staff and volunteers are really committed to what they do,” Moran said. 

In 2023, the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre’s Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN) division took over operations of Harvest Algoma, and plans to convert the charity into a self-sustaining social enterprise over the next three years.

Meals By Harvest, Harvest Algoma’s new social enterprise, is already up and running. 

The general public can now contribute by visiting its storefront at 446 Second Line E. and buying oven-ready frozen meals, baked goods and more. The meals come in individual and family-sized portions. Products can also be ordered online.

“Every time someone buys a meal, they can rest assured that the money is going back to Harvest Algoma’s social mission,” Moran said.

“We’re trying a different approach than an average food bank, so knowing that we’re getting positive feedback from the community at large is great,” she said. “I want to say a super heartfelt thank you to our nominators on behalf of the whole crew of staff and volunteers.”

The Environment award recognizes a person or group that has had an important positive impact on our environment, both man-made and natural. It may be a private initiative (i.e. an innovative energy-efficient home) or a public one (a re-greening project). 

Congratulations, Harvest Algoma!

This award is proudly sponsored by GFL.