Sault grocer collects hundreds of shoes for less fortunate

Giving back is among the core values of the Grocer 4 Good grocery store in Sault Ste. Marie -- and it's living up to its name, recently holding a shoe drive for the less fortunate.

More than 200 pairs of adult footwear and more than 60 items for kids were donated across the better part of a month.

The shoes, boots and sandals have already made their way to local organizations, which are in the process of getting them to people who need it most.

The idea came from Grocer 4 Good supervisor Jay Marzec. Marzec also works at SOYA, a local social services group, where she noticed the need.

“We had people coming in the store that didn’t have anything on their feet," Marzec said.

"And we have over 300 individuals who come over to SOYA that don’t have anything. So I kind of thought we could donate some of them to SOYA as well at the same time.”

Lisa Vezeau-Allen of Grocer 4 Good said it's the right time of year for the initiative.

“Just think about it. It’s September, that back to school time, right?" Vezeau-Allen said.

"I think we all have those memories of going to get new back-to-school shoes. And just understanding that there is going to be a change in climate so if someone just had flip-flops for the summer, that’s not going to work on a cold fall morning.”

Grocer 4 Good is still accepting donations and will relay the footwear to local agencies.