Anti-Hunger Coalition Timmins (ACT), an organization that has lead the way in battling hunger and food securities issue in Timmins for the last 10 years, officially opened an office yesterday at 97 Pine St. S.
“The organization has been around for 10 years, and this is the first time we are moving into an office space. Even though it is a small 12 by 12-feet office, this is a huge milestone for us,” said Michelle Goulet, ACT’s executive director.
“At first, ACT was able to get Trillium Funding to hire an executive director. Next we also were able to contract out a Good Food Box coordinator, with the amazing support of the United Way. And now we have finally been able to hire them as an employee position so now we have two people on staff in this our first office,” said Goulet of the organization's evolution.
On hand to participate in the opening of the new office were many volunteers and board members who helped with collective cooking lessons, Timmins Community Gardens and the Good Food Box program.
“Moving into this office is going to open a lot of doors for us to increase our volunteerism, to increase and grow all of our programs,” Goulet said.
ACT’s office hours will be Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“Our coordinator will be here, and people can come in and purchase tickets for any of our fundraising events, our Good Food Box which will be available on Monday for anyone in the community,” added Goulet.
Goulet invites the community to drop by and discuss a wide spectrum of food security issues that ACT works on.
“Come in and share your thoughts because we are always looking for creative ways to make sure no one in Timmins is hungry,” Goulet pledged.
In a departure from tradition, a carrot cutting ceremony ushered in he new ACT office emphasizing its commitment to enhancing food security in the area.
Holding one end of the large, orange carrot was Timmins Mayor Steve Black and the other was MJ, the good food box coordinator.
Michelle Goulet wielded the scissors and cut through the carrot to the accompaniment of clapping and laughter, officially opening ACT’s office on 97 Pine St. S.
Mayor Black presented ACT with a certificate of recognition from the City of Timmins.
“It’s a great accomplishment. We see a lot of our smaller non-profit organizations forced to leave their offices, and be more mobile because of costs factors. And to see ACT, an organization that has been around for 10 years, to now have a home to allow the community to access the office, and help with fundraising, and its activities is great news for the City of Timmins,” said Mayor Black. “It’s another great addition to our downtown core area.”
“On behalf of the city of Timmins, I present ACT with this certificate of recognition on the grand opening of your office,” Mayor Black declared.
“It’s a great opportunity to say thank you to people who are enhancing the quality of life for all of our citizens in the City of Timmins,” stated Michael Doody, Councillor for Ward 5.
ACT also received two congratulatory framed certificates from Gilles Bisson, the MPP for Timmins-James Bay and Charlie Angus, the MP for Timmins-James Bay.
According to its website, ACT started when small group of people got together with a vision that provided a coordinated response to the problem of food insecurity in Timmins.
ACT was Incorporated in 2007 and became a registered charity in 2009. Its goal is to develop a creative ,coordinated response to eliminate barriers, such as “low income, inaccessibility to land, transportation, and gaps in knowledge, or experience that make it difficult for people to meet their basic need for healthy food.”
Through its work ACT, has been recognized as a Good Food Organization by Community Food Centres Canada.
ACT is achieving its goal of increasing education and access to local, healthy and affordable food through its three core programs: Timmins Community Gardens, community cooking lessons, and the distribution of fruit and vegetables via the Good Food Box program.
