Seniors Provided with Meals Through Mobile Food Outreach in Sault Ste. Marie

Every month The Salvation Army in Sault Ste. Marie assists as many as 2,800 clients through a variety of programs supporting individuals and families looking for basic necessities. One of those programs is a mobile food outreach service for seniors who are unable to afford groceries or can’t get out to purchase their own food.

“We were getting calls from people who were saying that seniors in the community have no food in their house. So, we started responding and we realized we have a big problem in the city. We sat down with our staff and decided to put aside a day each week to deliver to low-income seniors,” said Sault Ste. Marie Corps Officer Major Sean Furey.

Linda is one of the seniors benefitting from the mobile food outreach service. “This program has helped me in many ways. My income is low and there are times when, because of food prices, there is certain food that I can’t purchase.  It really does help, and I am really blessed to get this food,” she said.

Lois is another client supported by The Salvation Army in Sault Ste. Marie. “If it wasn’t for this program I would be doing without an awful lot of groceries because I can’t grocery shop anymore. This is how I get my groceries now. The Salvation Army has saved me, so this is a fantastic program. I love it,” Lois said.

Food and financial donations made to The Salvation Army’s Community and Family Services directly benefit the most vulnerable people in the community to prevent seniors from going hungry. In Sault Ste. Marie, 51 per cent of Salvation Army clients are seniors.

“It’s the emotional and spiritual contact that we’re having with our clients that is so rewarding. Anybody can give out food, but we’re doing it in such a way that we’re actually giving hope to people. Your donation is being used in a very good way,” Major Furey said.