Grey County has honored the Owen Sound Hunger and Relief Effort (OSHaRE) for its unwavering commitment to eliminating hunger and its support of the Supportive Outreach Services (SOS) program.
During the Grey County Council meeting on March 27, Warden Andrea Matrosovs and Paramedic Chief Kevin McNab presented OSHaRE with a certificate of appreciation for its significant contributions to the community.
According to a media release from Grey County, OSHaRE has played a crucial role in providing meals and hosting community outreach markets since becoming a founding partner of the SOS program in 2021. These markets support individuals facing challenges such as homelessness, mental health struggles, and addiction by offering access to essential health and community services. In 2024, OSHaRE’s facility became the regular home for the Owen Sound SOS market, providing a safe space where paramedics, nurse practitioners, doctors, and other professionals offer care to those in need.
OSHaRE’s impact extends far beyond SOS. In 2024 alone, the organization served more than 212,000 meals, school lunches, and family meals. It has also been instrumental in food rescue efforts, working alongside the Salvation Army and Grey Bruce Food Share to redistribute food from local grocery stores and businesses. Each month, OSHaRE assembles 160 ‘good food’ boxes filled with fresh fruits and vegetables to distribute to the community.
The organization’s responsiveness in times of crisis was highlighted by McNab, who recalled an early morning emergency evacuation.
“One morning we had to evacuate a bunch of people in an emergency,” said McNab. “I called OSHaRE at five in the morning, and we had breakfast for everyone by seven.”
Accepting the award on behalf of OSHaRE, Executive Director Colleen Trask-Seaman reflected on the charity’s growth since its founding in 2013.
“We never thought we would be serving 25,000 meals in a month, or that we would have a room in our facility where amazing nurses, paramedics, mental health professionals, a nurse practitioner and a doctor come together to serve our community,” said Trask-Seaman. “We’re humbled to be a small part of an incredible team of professionals from so many different services who choose to come together in the true spirit of collaboration to care for our neighbours.”
With the support of seven staff members and over 140 volunteers contributing nearly 14,700 hours of service last year, OSHaRE continues to make a meaningful difference.
More information about the organization is available at https://oshare.ca/about-us/vision/.