Calling all burger lovers!
For a second straight year, Habitat for Humanity Sault Ste. Marie is bringing back "Soo Burger Month," a tasty fundraiser running through September that encourages residents to eat burgers from local restaurants in support of charity.
Ten restaurants in town have set aside a specialty burger on their menus and will donate at least one dollar to the non-profit housing organization for each one sold.
Habitat’s marketing coordinator, Chelsey Foucher, says the event is a fantastic opportunity for Saultites to help fellow community members in dire need of housing.
“We’re trying to establish more signature events,” she says. “Last year was a bit of a trial run, so we’re really looking forward to getting this fundraiser off the ground and running.”
The restaurants participating in Soo Burger Month include Soo Blaster, The Soup Witch Cafe, Ernie’s Coffee Shop, Montana’s BBQ and Bar, Shooters Downstairs Lounge, Getaway Restaurant (in Gateway Casinos), Centre Ice Bar and Grill, The Root, Q-Patio (at Quattro), and Uncle Gino’s Cafe.
“Their support is super important,” Foucher says. “Coming out of the pandemic, we knew restaurants were struggling a lot. We wanted to do something that would support us, but also support local businesses. Giving the restaurants this opportunity to participate and support Habitat and their community is mutually beneficial, and it also creates a little bit of friendly competition.”
The money raised throughout September will go towards building a fully accessible four-bedroom home on Blake Ave. for a Syrian refugee family who have been living in Canada since 2016.
“The father uses a wheelchair, and their two-bedroom apartment isn’t accessible nor big enough for the five of them,” Foucher explains. “This fundraiser will help house them by the end of the year.”
The ten participating restaurants will also compete for the Best Burger Award and the Most Burgers Sold Award.
Residents are invited to use the Burger Passport to keep track of their selections. Participants are also encouraged to share photos of their burger on social media using the hashtag #SooBurgerMonth.
A full press release is below:
Habitat’s second annual Soo Burger Month fundraiser is about to begin!
Soo Burger Month, presented by SooToday.com, is a city-wide fundraiser running throughout the month of September that encourages Saultites to eat burgers in support of charity.
Using the Burger Passport, which is generously sponsored by Cliffe Printing, Habitat will guide you to ten participating restaurants that are offering a creative new burger (or a tried-and-true one) from which at least $1 will be donated to Habitat for Humanity Sault Ste. Marie & Area per burger sold.
Ten local restaurants are participating in this year’s fundraiser: Soo Blaster, The Soup Witch Cafe, Ernie’s Coffee Shop, Montana’s BBQ and Bar, Shooters Downstairs Lounge, Getaway Restaurant (in Gateway Casinos), Centre Ice Bar and Grill, The Root, Q-Patio (at Quattro), and Uncle Gino’s Cafe.
Last year’s Soo Burger Month raised just under $3,000 in support of the organization’s Affordable Homeownership Program. Habitat hopes to see a modest increase from last year, having made some minor adjustments to the event based on some of the feedback from last year.
“We decided to scoot the fundraiser back a month to September, so supporters can enjoy their burgers during patio season,” states Chelsey Foucher, Fundraising & Marketing Coordinator.
The Burger Passport features restaurant locations, the burgers they are offering, and the donation amount to Habitat per burger sold. Burger Passports can be downloaded online or picked up from any of the following locations starting Sept. 1:
- Habitat ReStore (32 White Oak Drive)
- Getaway Restaurant at Gateway Casinos (30 Bay Street West)
- Ernie's Coffee Shop (13 Queen Street East)
- Soo Blaster (345 Queen Street East)
- Q-Patio by Quattro (229 Great Northern Road)
- Montana’s BBQ & Bar (89 Foster Drive)
- Shooters Downstairs Lounge (68 Dennis Street)
- Centre Ice Bar & Grill Inc. (285 Northern Avenue East)
- The Root (85 Old Hwy 17 N)
- The Soup Witch (215 Fourth Line East)
- Uncle Gino’s Café & Ristorante (56 Second Line West)
The fundraiser will be spiced up with a little competition, too. Restaurants are competing to win the Best Burger Award and Most Burgers Sold Award – won by Ernie’s Coffee Shop and Getaway Restaurant, respectively, in 2021.
“We’d love for folks to take photos and post their #SooBurgerMonth adventures to social media to help us spread the word,” states Foucher, “and don’t forget to tag Habitat!”
The funds raised by Soo Burger Month 2022 will support Habitat’s fully accessible Blake Avenue build, which will house a family of five by the end of the year.
Foucher pointed out that it’s a common misconception that Habitat gives homes away for free when, in fact, they sell them to qualifying families.
“The families that we work with complete 500 volunteer hours and purchase their home at fair market value via an affordable Habitat mortgage. Our program removes the barrier of a hefty down payment and ensures that mortgage payments are no more than 30 percent of their household income,” explained Foucher. “Their mortgage payments then go into our ‘Fund for Humanity’ which exists solely to fund future builds.”
Once the current Blake Avenue home is complete, Habitat plans to build a fiveplex on Goulais Avenue in 2023 – the organization’s biggest project yet.
You can learn more about Soo Burger Month by visiting www.habitatsault.ca/
Donations to Habitat’s Affordable Homeownership Program can be made at www.habitatsault.ca/donate. Businesses interested in sponsoring a Habitat Home can reach out to Chelsey Foucher at [email protected].