Empty shelves show urgent need at Soup Kitchen

The shelves at the Soup Kitchen Community Centre were full earlier in the summer, the result of community food drives. Now with summer turning to fall and an increase in need, many of those shelves are sitting empty.

“Last month we did just over 3,900 just in bagged lunches," said general manager Ron Sim. "We have never had those kinds of numbers and every month they just continue to grow."

The James Street organization has not returned to in-person dining due, in part, to people bringing in and using drugs on site.

Now that back-to-school is in full swing, additional pressure is put on the Soup Kitchen Community Centre to help offer food for kids' lunches, as well as support the student food banks at Sault College and Algoma University.

The problem is, there just isn't enough food on the shelves to help everyone they need to help, said Sim.

In years past, the Soup Kitchen Community Centre had a slower period at the start of the month, a time when people traditionally got a cheque and were able to purchase their own food.

“It’s scary. At the start of the month we would usually slow down enough to get caught up enough to regroup and restock the shelves, but that’s no longer happening," said Sim.

He has spoken to counterparts in Thunder Bay and Toronto who are experiencing similar operational pressures.

There doesn't seem to be a demographic that is not affected, said Sim. The working poor, senior citizens, immigrants and students make up some of the biggest categories of people who need help. 

"It’s putting a real pressure on everything,” said Sim of the increased need.

Items that generally collect dust on the shelves, like marmalade and canned beans, are now being taken.

“A lot of the stuff that doesn’t usually move or that a lot of agencies won’t take for their clients — they will have to take it," said Sim.

He notes canned beans can be prepared in a number of nutritious ways but some people just don't know what to do with them. They are offered recipes or instructed to Google different ways to prepare them.

“There’s all kinds of healthy things you can turn these into,” he said.

Sim said the Soup Kitchen Community Centre accepts food during its regular hours of operation — Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. People or organizations with larger donations can phone the office for possible pick up at 705-942-2694.

The items most needed are cereal, pasta, pasta sauce, pork and beans, peanut butter and crackers and any kind of canned vegetable.

“But we won’t turn anything down because it’s all good,” said Sim.