Snacks supplied to students in need

Orillia's Sharing Place is offering snack bags for students working from home as schools in Ontario remain closed. (Kent Colby/CTV News)

Orillia’s Sharing Place Food Centre is working hard to adapt its services as kids continue virtual learning from home.

Usually, the centre puts together snack bags and brings them to 21 local schools, offering them to students in need.

Sharing Place is now pivoting to ensure the supply is still there for students.

“With the shutdown of schools, we shifted to creating snack bags now distributed throughout the community,” said Chris Peacock, Sharing Place Food Centre’s executive director.

Snack bags can be picked up at Orillia’s Big Brothers Big Sisters office, Harriot Todd Public School, Sharing Place and the Orillia Public Library all during business or school hours.

For Big Brothers Big Sisters, requests for snack bags must be made prior to pick-up by phone at 705-325-3151.

Each snack bag includes things like apples, bananas, yogurt tubes, and cheese strings.

Sharing Place is a not-for-profit, community-run organization and relies heavily on volunteers. Peacock said it is sometimes hard to retain staff but remains grateful to those who stick by his side.

“Volunteers are the heart of the Sharing Place and the hearts of not-for-profits across the region,” Peacock said.

“It’s becoming more of a challenge, but we are very fortunate here at the Sharing Place to have a phenomenal group of volunteers that make this place work.

“Without them, we would not be able to support the schools that we support with our "school fuel program" and all the programs we run here at the Sharing Place.”

Peacock said it is also quite challenging to keep up with demand due to rising food costs.

Sharing Place is always accepting donations, whether money, food, or time. To find more on how you can help, visit the Sharing Place website.