THUNDER BAY – Editorial – To some in our city, they are the forgotten people. The homeless, the street people, the residents of Shelter House. On Canada’s Food Day, Jim Stadey of Eat Local Pizza and Pastry made it his mission to feed the residents of Shelter House. It was a big task. Stadey has taken on big tasks before, he has taken the approach to business that being a part of what needs to be solved is a part of what locally owned business must do.
“Tomorrow for Food Day Canada Eat Local will be celebrating the diversity of the food economy in Thunder Bay in its own way. We will be providing every meal for every person at the Shelter House all Day completely free of charge. Thank you to all of you for helping us to help those who need a hand! This is all you Thunder Bay!”, shared Stadey.
The message that “you matter” and that people actually do care was sent. Interestingly it isn’t a one shot message from this small local company.
Stadey has tried to encourage other local companies to follow in his lead, but so far has not found a lot of support. Some have told him that “charity begins at home”.
In feeding people at the Shelter House, he was told by one local business person, “Those people don’t have any money anyhow”.
None of those negative messages have daunted the enthusiasm and zeal to reach out from the folks at ELPP. From their May Street location, ELPP reaches out across the city to serve food. At the Victoria Inn two Friday’s ago, the people from Sandy Lake First Nation were treated to pepperoni pizza courtesy of the company. The all local ingredients, including the very tasty locally made pepperoni had several people hoping that it was moose meat pepperoni. The pepperoni is just that darn good, its lean and really tasty.
ELPP also took it upon themselves as a mission to head out to the Confederation Air Hanger at the Thunder Bay International Airport to provide food to the people coming through Thunder Bay. It was a task that in many ways was just business as usual for this company. If you think in the long term, the message to the people of Sandy Lake was that Thunder Bay cares.
Honestly more and more people in our city care. And not to begrudge some of the chains and franchises that help out too, when a local company steps up to the plate, it sends a very powerful message.
It may well not be the usual practice for a small local business. However, to me, knowing that Jim and his staff care that much about Thunder Bay means that each bite of pizza tastes just a little better.
Some of the fans of ELPP share in that idea. Michelle Uvanile shares, “Wow! you have my pizza business, hands down…great pizza and a great business!”
My suggestion, if you support the efforts of local business, and especially local business with a heart the size of Jim and his staff at Eat Local Pizza and Pastry, then step up and support this business too.
When you feel hungry today, why not step up and support the fine folks at Eat Local Pizza and Pastry to solve your hunger pangs? Visit their Facebook page or just call them up at 623 – 6877. Or stop by at 401 N May Street and grab a slice and check out the tasty treats in the bakery.
A closing thought, if you really want a treat, just tell Jim and his staff to “Make you a pizza”. You will get an amazing and very diverse pizza and a full meal.
James Murray
