The Sharing Place Food Centre

10/21/2026

A retired gentleman recently came to The Sharing Place Food Centre and told us he had never used a food bank before, but he “just couldn’t make it work this month.”

His story is not unique. In the past year, 1,377 people in our community turned to our food bank for the first time. Today, Food Banks Canada released its HungerCount report, and behind every number is an individual or family doing their best to get by. Many are stretching a pension or a paycheque to cover rent, utilities and transportation, and when there isn’t enough to go around, food is often the first thing to go.

Food banks help people get through the week, but we need to do more. Please share this post so more people understand what food insecurity looks like in our community. If you’d like to add your voice, our Advocacy page has simple ways to take action, including writing to your MP about better income supports: sharingplaceorillia.org/advocacy

10/14/2026

Improv Night at the Orillia Opera House is next week!

Bad Dog Theatre Company, home of Theatresports and Toronto’s longest-running comedy show, is bringing a hilarious night of live improv to Orillia, with a special opening act featuring one of Orillia’s best stand-up comedians. The evening is a fundraiser supporting both the Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital Foundation and The Sharing Place Food Centre, so you’ll be enjoying a great night out while helping two organizations that make a real difference in our community.

Get your tickets:
bit.ly/TSPimprov

10/13/2026

Planning a food drive or fundraiser for your office, family or community? Register your drive so we can help support your efforts!

sharingplaceorillia.org/register-your-donation-drive

10/09/2026

📢 Food Access Holiday Hours
The Sharing Place will be CLOSED Monday, October 12th for Thanksgiving. We will reopen as normal 4:30 pm on Tuesday, October 13th.

🍗Thanksgiving Meals will be distributed 11 am to 1 pm on Saturday, Oct 10th. There is no sign-up needed. Please bring your own bags.

10/08/2026

The Sharing Place relies on the generosity of our community to keep our programs running smoothly. Can you help us check off an item from our most-needed list this October?

Men's Hygiene Products
Deodorant
Razors
Toilet Paper & Tissues
Toothbrushes
Canned Gravy

Looking to start a drive of your own? Sign up on our website so that we can help make it a success! sharingplaceorillia.org/register-your-donation-drive
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10/05/2026

🦃 You are invited! This Saturday, October 10, The Sharing Place Food Centre is giving away 1,200 Thanksgiving dinners, and we would love for you to come and pick one up. There is no need to register and no questions asked. If a warm holiday meal would make this weekend a little easier, or if you know a neighbour, friend, or family member who would enjoy one, please stop by. Prepackaged dinners will be ready to take home from our parking lot at 95 Dufferin Street, from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm.

Our kitchen team and volunteers are preparing these meals to celebrate a milestone we are truly proud of: our 400,000th Meals 4 Change meal. Each dinner is cooked with the same care we would put into a meal for our own families, and every person who stops by will be greeted with a warm welcome.

Thank you to OrilliaMatters for sharing this story. We hope to see you on Saturday! 💚

09/30/2026

Today, on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we wear our orange shirts to honour Residential School Survivors, their families and communities. We reflect on their enduring legacy as part of the ongoing journey toward truth, healing and reconciliation.

The 6th Annual Community Event starts tonight at 5 pm at Tudhope Park in Orillia; please visit orillia.ca for more details.

09/02/2026

September is Hunger Action Month, a chance to look past the numbers and understand why food insecurity keeps growing across Ontario. Record high food bank use in Simcoe County is only part of the story.

At The Sharing Place Food Centre, we see it week after week. Families are struggling not because of one bad month, but because wages, housing costs, and social assistance rates haven’t kept pace with the cost of living. That gap is what drives people through our doors.

Poverty has root causes, and understanding them is how we start to change them.

See the bigger picture with Feed Ontario’s resources here: https://ow.ly/2TWl50ZxGgT

07/17/2026

Good news travels fast, especially when it comes with a chance to win a new RAV4! 🚗

The Orillia Car Lottery supports The Sharing Place Food Centre and FIVE other local organizations doing important work across our community. When you buy a ticket, you’re supporting your community while giving yourself a shot at some great prizes.

Learn more and get your tickets here: https://orilliacarlottery.ca/about-the-charities/

Every ticket helps make a difference.

The Orillia Car Lottery is more than an opportunity to win incredible prizes. It's a fundraiser that supports organizations making a real impact across our community.

Net proceeds help support:

• Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital Foundation
• The Sharing Place Food Centre
• Lighthouse Orillia
• Mariposa House Hospice
• The Couchiching Conservancy
• The Rotary Club of Orillia Charitable Trust Fund

Together, these organizations provide healthcare, food security, hospice care, housing support, environmental conservation, and funding for countless local community initiatives.

When you purchase a ticket, you're supporting your neighbours while giving yourself the chance to win a Made-in-Canada 2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited, a 2026 Polaris Sportsman 450 ATV, six Early Bird prizes, and the opportunity to purchase tickets for our separate 50/50 draw.

Learn more about the charities and get your tickets today:
https://orilliacarlottery.ca/about-the-charities/

AGCO Lottery Licence RAF1552733
50/50 Licence RAF1552876