Employment 4 Good, a Sault Ste. Marie organization that uses social enterprise to create jobs for people who face barriers to employment, has received this year’s SooToday Community Builders Award in the Economic Development category.
The organization runs two social enterprises, Grocer 4 Good and Cafe 4 Good, which combine community-facing businesses with employment and skill-development programs. According to SooToday, the award recognizes individuals or groups who have significantly enhanced the economic prosperity of the community, including through fostering social enterprises or new businesses.
Grocer 4 Good’s Pandemic-Era Start
Grocer 4 Good opened in early 2020, creating employment and skill-development opportunities for neurodiverse adults and people navigating mental wellness challenges while also offering affordable groceries to the community. The store opened just one week before the COVID-19 pandemic changed daily life, presenting what the organization describes as an immediate challenge to its launch.
Despite that difficult start, Grocer 4 Good has continued to grow its employment program, providing opportunities for co-op students, summer students, volunteers and employees, with some volunteers eventually moving into paid roles.
“This is a real honour because it’s not always easy. It’s been a labour of love,” said Lisa Vezeau-Allen, founder of Employment 4 Good. “It means a lot to me personally, but also to our vast team.”
Cafe 4 Good Expands the Model
Employment 4 Good expanded its work with the opening of Cafe 4 Good in November 2024. The cafe provides employment opportunities for youth facing barriers, with an emphasis on mentorship, skill development, confidence and community connection.
The cafe has become a gathering place in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, offering food and coffee while giving young people hands-on workplace experience. Its community programming has included events such as Queer Coffee Nights and $2 Latte Tuesdays, which the organization says give people another welcoming place to gather downtown while supporting its broader social enterprise mission.
Vezeau-Allen said the organization’s mission is rooted in the belief that everyone has value and something to contribute. “I’ve seen what happens when there’s a lack of opportunity. Our mission is that everyone has value and something to contribute in a meaningful way,” she said.
By pairing employment opportunities with community-focused businesses, Employment 4 Good is addressing multiple needs simultaneously, according to SooToday, and its work points to the role local businesses and social enterprises can play in expanding access to the workforce and building more inclusive communities. The Community Builders Award in the Economic Development category is sponsored by CIBC Wood Gundy.
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