SAULT STE. MARIE -- Angela Caputo is helping to feed students in geared-to-income housing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Caputo is the owner and head chef of The Breakfast Pig in Sault Ste. Marie.

She wanted to give back to her community during the pandemic. 

"I’m very fortunate to have the community support that I do," said Caputo.  "So, I think this is just a way for me to be able to give back to a community that has supported me the last five years."

Caputo teamed up with the John Howard Society to create the Feed the Kids Project.

During her days off, she makes healthy homemade lunches and then delivers them to students living in geared-to-income housing.  

"I’m sure everyone in these units is trying their best, but everybody could use a hand from time to time," said Caputo.

After the lunches are made, Caputo and a staff member from the John Howard Society head out to geared-to-income housing complexes and delivers the meals to students. 

This week, each student received homemade chicken noodle soup, a sandwich, vegetables, fruit and a carton of milk. 

Emily Bouchard says she's grateful for the lunches that Caputo is giving away. She has three children and they normally use the breakfast program provided at their schools. With the pandemic and her children staying home, she is worried.

"We are a geared-to-income family and with the prices of all of our bills and everything adding up, yeah, we were getting a little bit concerned on how we can provide for three children all day. Especially they are eating a lot more," said Bouchard.

The John Howard Society says this is a common concern for many people in the community.  

"I think that food security in general in the community is something that is an issue," said Taylar Piazza, the intake/outreach development assistant at John Howard Society of Sault Ste. Marie and District. 

Caputo paid for the first week of lunches by herself.

She posted what she was doing on Facebook and within a couple of days, $7,000 was donated by the community to help pay for the meals.

Now, 200 lunches are being made and given out each week.