Sault breakfast program sees record numbers

Sault Ste. Marie’s summer breakfast program is seeing record numbers of students.

Algoma Family Services, one of the agencies behind 'Every Breakfast Counts,' said the program distributed thousands of meals during the summer.

The goal is to provide students with nutritious meals throughout the summer, in place of breakfast programs offered during the school year.

“We did this program over eight weeks, starting in July into mid-August," said Emily Tremblay of Algoma Family Services

"We served about 8,500 meals, so 1,066 a week approximately. We started off a little lower -- we were aiming at 850 a week. So, we increased the number of production and luckily we were able to do that with the help of our volunteers at Harvest Algoma.”

Meals are distributed by Harvest Algoma, with officials there saying volunteers were putting in upwards of 200 hours a week combined.

However, the group suffered a setback this week.

“We went to start our big utility van -- really our only transport van -- and someone had cut our catalytic converter," said Deron Barlow of Harvest Algoma.

The fuel line was also cut, Barlow said, preventing them from doing any deliveries or pickups in the city.

He said it would be at least a couple of weeks before their vehicle will be in service again, a delay that will affect many people.

“Anybody who decides to do that, your few hundred dollars that you’re getting for it … maybe think about the costs of the people that are affected by the decision you’re making," Barlow said.

"You get a few hundred dollars, but then, a few thousand people in the Sault are out meals for a week or two.”

Meantime, Algoma Family Services is organizing a 50/50 draw to raise money for the next Every Breakfast Counts summer program.

Tickets can be purchased at city hall or at the Algoma Family Services office.