dthompson@harvestalgoma.ca<\/a><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Across Algoma, families are stretching meals, skipping dinners, and making impossible choices \u2014 even as hundreds of thousands of pounds of good food go to waste each year. Harvest Algoma is already rescuing that food; the challenge is moving it. This Lent, Daily Bread for Algoma invites churches to take part in a simple offering that turns surplus into supper and helps ensure no neighbour is left behind.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":986,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"A simple offering that moves food from surplus to supper, right here at home.<\/p><\/header>Right now, in a community not far from your church, someone is choosing between groceries and medication. A parent is skipping dinner so their child can eat. A senior is stretching a week's worth of food into ten days.<\/p>
Nearly 1 in 4 households in Algoma<\/strong> faces food insecurity, higher than the provincial average. The pressure is real, and it is growing.<\/p>547,000 lbs<\/span><\/strong>
of food rescued by Harvest Algoma in 2025 alone. This is bread, produce, and staples that would otherwise go to landfill.<\/span><\/p>This food already exists in our community. The challenge isn't finding it, it's moving it. That's where your church comes in.<\/p>
What the People on the Front Lines Are Saying<\/h2>\"Harvest Algoma is truly revolutionary in its ability to take unused food and turn it into something delicious and nourishing. Their work not only helps reduce food waste but also ensures that our community continues to thrive and that those in need are cared for.\"<\/p>
\"Every time I visit, I'm greeted with a friendly smile and a welcoming atmosphere. It's genuinely a highlight of my day to stop by, prepare food boxes for my clients, and know that I'm contributing to something bigger, helping both people and the planet.\"
Stephanie Miceli \u2014 Housing Case Manager, CMHA Algoma<\/cite><\/p><\/div>That case manager visits Harvest Algoma on behalf of people with significant barriers to housing and stability. For her clients, a food box isn't just a meal, it's one less crisis to manage.<\/p>
Introducing Daily Bread for Algoma<\/h2>
This Lent, we're inviting churches across Algoma to participate in something beautifully simple: a designated offering,\u00a0 collected through your existing methods, sent after Easter as a single cheque or e-transfer, that goes directly toward keeping food moving.<\/p>
\ud83c\udf3e<\/span>Every $1 donated<\/strong> helps move 2 pounds of food<\/strong> through the system,\u00a0 into food banks, shelter meals, and school snack programs across the region.<\/div>No new governance structure. No special events. No volunteer requirements. Just a purposeful offering that strengthens the infrastructure behind every food cupboard and meal program your church already supports.<\/p>
How It Works<\/h2>1. Your church council approves a designated Lenten or Easter offering for Harvest Algoma.<\/div><\/div>
2. Funds are collected using your existing methods throughout the season.<\/div><\/div>
3. After Easter, the church sends one cheque or e-transfer to Harvest Algoma.<\/div><\/div>
4. Harvest Algoma provides a shared impact summary \u2014 so you can tell your congregation exactly how many pounds of food their giving helped move.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
A church of 30 can participate just as meaningfully as a church of 300. This is not a pledge campaign or a new program. It is Lent doing what Lent has always done, inviting us into simplicity, generosity, and shared sacrifice on behalf of our neighbours.<\/p>
Imagine standing before your congregation at Easter and saying: \"Together, we helped move thousands of pounds of food into local families' homes this season.\"<\/em> That is measurable, real, and lasting.<\/p>Talk to Your Council or Pastor This Week<\/h2>
If this stirs something in you, the most important thing you can do is simple: bring it up with your pastor or church leadership. Ask whether Daily Bread for Algoma<\/strong> could be your congregation's Lenten offering this year.<\/p>The food is already out there. The need is already here. All that's missing is the movement, and that starts with a conversation.<\/p>
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