Orillia teen looks to tackle food insecurity in the Sunshine City
Orillia resident Myles Odlozinski is hoping to tackle food insecurity in the Sunshine City.
"Food insecurity is a massive issue in Orillia. It's not just a big city issue. It's right here in Orillia," says Odlozinski.
The 15-year-old has seen how food insecurity impacts the community.
"It's been made worse by rising food costs and the pandemic. There's been lots of issues for many people," says Odlozinski. "I've even seen a youth in my school having to rely on it."
Odlozinski proposed an idea for a community fridge to Orillia council back in June. It would provide access to fresh food at no cost for those who need it most.
"The motto is that the community fridge follows is take what you need, leave what you can. If you need to take a lot because you have a big family or take it for multiple members, there's no stigma," he says.
Council was impressed with his presentation. Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke says city staff were unanimously on board with the idea.
"This is a caring, giving community, and we can substantiate that with many examples; Myles taking on this initiative at his age is just that," says Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke. "It exemplifies that caring, and it is indeed inspiring."
Odlozinski hopes to partner with local businesses and restaurants to help the fridge remain fully stocked, with some already on board.
"We pick up a lot of surplus food that exists in the community at grocery stores or farms, and at times we have trouble handing it out because it needs to get out in the community. So we'll look at that community fridge like another agency in our community that we can support," says The Sharing Place Executive Director Chris Peacock.
Odlozinski proposed that the Orillia Public Library is the ideal location to offer accessibility all year long.
He also suggests that the location would reduce stigma around accessing food, since it's away from shelters and food banks.
Council is on board with the location.
"The library is in the core of the City. It's on a transit route. It's easy to access for pedestrians. There is some space that's been identified there," adds Mayor Clarke.
Odlozinski hopes the community will get involved and donate to the initiative.
"Any impact you can make in the community is always positive. It doesn't matter how young you are, just doing something little can go a long way."
The City is developing a staff report on the feasibility of the fridge.
Odlozinski hopes to hear back in the next few weeks and is optimistic that his proposal will become a reality.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cargo ship had engine maintenance in port before Baltimore bridge collapse, officials say
The cargo ship that lost power and crashed into a bridge in Baltimore underwent 'routine engine maintenance' in port beforehand, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
Families shocked after Niagara Falls hotel cancels bookings made year in advance of solar eclipse
After having the foresight to book their Niagara Falls hotel rooms more than a year in advance, several families planning to take in the solar eclipse next month were shocked to find out their reservations had been cancelled.
B.C. rescuers face 'high likelihood' of failure to reunite orphaned orca with pod
The race to reunite an orphaned orca calf that’s stuck in a shallow lagoon with a neighbouring pod has entered its fifth day, and a marine scientist says the clock is ticking.
Video shows police interrupting auto theft in progress outside Toronto home
New video footage obtained by CP24 shows the attempted theft of a vehicle in a North York driveway earlier this month that was ultimately interrupted by police.
Majority of Canadians believe in life after death: Angus Reid survey
A new survey from the Angus Reid Institute has found that a majority of Canadians believe in some form of life after death, a proportion that has held steady for decades.
MyPillow, owned by U.S. election denier Mike Lindell, formally evicted from Minnesota warehouse
A court ordered the eviction Wednesday of MyPillow from a suburban Minneapolis warehouse that it formerly used.