7 p.m. Thursday, come back here to watch more than 20 acts perform in support of local front-line agencies

It’s time to get through this crisis together Sault Ste. Marie and to show that COVID-19 hasn’t cancelled our community spirit.

This Thursday night at 7 p.m. SooToday will host virtual performances by more than a dozen local musicians, actors and entertainers as part of a fundraising event aimed at helping out some of the local agencies that need it the most right now.

More than 20 acts across a broad range of styles and genres have recorded their own performances and contributed them to the show, including Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide, Sound Syndrome, Jackson Reed, Steve McCarthy, Konica, Anya and Steve Mallinger and the Musical Comedy Guild.

Come Together Sault Ste. Marie is made possible through a partnership between local artists, SooToday and the newly formed Algoma Community Foundation, which has set up the Algoma COVID-19 Response Fund to help agencies mandated to support vulnerable, at-risk community members and which are providing innovative and relevant responses to the crisis locally.

Your donations to the Algoma COVID-19 Response Fund will be distributed equally to Phoenix Rising, St. Vincent Place, Pauline’s Place, the Sault Ste. Marie Indian Friendship Centre, Shingwauk Anishinaabe Students Association, Algoma University’s Student Emergency Fund, Sault College International, the Local Immigration Partnership, Rural-Agri Innovation Network (RAIN) and the John Howard Society

Donations to the fund will be matched by Algoma Community Foundation up to a total of $10,000 through a contribution from Green Shield Canada’s Social Impact COVID-19 initiative. The aim is to see a total of $20,000 donated to the 10 local agencies listed above.

Come Together Sault Ste. Marie will also be encouraging viewers to donate directly to Sault Area Hospital Foundation to help SAH build readiness and a comprehensive response to our healthcare needs throughout this crisis.