‘Great Giving Challenge’
During the month of June, Grocer 4 Good and Northern Credit Union will participate in the ‘Great Canadian Giving Challenge.’ It is a summer fundraising campaign put on by ‘Canada Helps.’ Grocer 4 Good is located at 133 Gore Street in the Sault’s downtown area.
Here is how the Great Canadian Giving Challenge works: Every dollar donated through the ‘Canada Helps’ website will enter G4G into the contest, providing chances for it to win up to $20,000 at the end of the June.
Northern Credit Union has pledged to match community donations up to $3,000, which will help fund G4G’s employee retention, growth and operations — and hopefully provide G4G with a better chance at winning the ‘Canada Helps’ prize.
Anyone who would like to donate and help G4G during the campaign, can visit https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/grocer-4-good-ability-development-program/
ABOUT GROCER 4 GOOD
As a social enterprise, Grocer 4 Good sells everyday essentials such as toiletries, home supplies, fresh produce, dairy, bread, dried goods and canned goods — at affordable prices.
“We support local food suppliers/growers such as Valleyfield Farms, Hogan’s Homstead and are working on developing more partnerships with local and sustainable food products, while keeping it affordable,” president and founder Lisa Vezeau-Allen told Sault Business Matters.
Following is the Grocer 4 Good mandate as set out by Vezeau-Allen and her board of directors.
of Grocer 4 Good, on Gore Street
MISSION: Grocer 4 Good Ability Development Program will provide employment opportunities for those persons with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, other intellectual disability or whom have been chronically underemployed
VISION: Grocer 4 Good Ability Development Program will create widespread opportunities and community engagement outside of the employment opportunity for those persons with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability or those chronically underemployed, while giving back and providing much needed access for affordable life essentials for those on fixed and low incomes.
VALUES: Grocer 4 Good Ability Development Program will instill the values that we all have something to contribute to our community in a meaningful and rewarding way.
VALUE PROPOSITION: Grocer 4 Good identifies and addresses two issues in the community of Sault Ste. Marie (and others); the lack of opportunities in meaningful and supported employment for youth and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder, other intellectual disabilities and those experiencing chronic underemployment (due to lack of education, training, opportunity.) The model of a small independent grocery style retailer also lends to tasks and working conditions that can engage people regardless of their level of ability. An individual on the Autism Spectrum whom is non-verbal can stock shelves and sort out donated produce, a very social person can provide customer service and a person with an ability with numbers and processes can do cash transactions. The rates after high school for persons with an Autism Spectrum Disorder is over 50 per cent unemployment and the overall rate for those with disabilities is over 10 per cent (in Canada). In creating this model, the overarching philosophy is that it will also help a secondary specific need in the community.