The Bread Basket was founded in 1993 in the town of Virtusville in response to an increasing need for social assistance in the community. The founder, and now director, of the Bread Basket is Horace Wing, a prominent investor whose family dates back to the earliest settlers in the region. Mr. Wing recognized the need for a food bank to assist the families that are experiencing difficulties as a result of the economic slump in the region. Several mining ventures have failed or moved away from the region leaving a hole in the local economic infrastructure. The region responded with a push for more tourism, however, recent economic hardships on a more global basis have reduced the employment in this area as well.
The mission of the Bread Basket is to provide quality food to families and individuals in need for the least cost. Mr. Wing's vision of the foundation is an organization based on the principles of true charity, not a business that must provide a return on investment. As far as he is concerned the investment is the lives of the people he helps and the return is their enjoyment of what he and his foundation can provide. He feels strongly that he must return some of his good fortune to the region in return for the good fortune the region has given his family over the last century. He also sees the foundation as a family, which may experience some problems from time to time, but which will ultimately succeed in forging a path toward a common goal.
The foundation began in a corner of a local grocery store warehouse, and has grown steadily to its current size. It is now located in a warehouse complex that once was used by one of the mining companies as a machine shop. The building itself is considered a heritage building requiring that it be refurbished to its original look before the foundation was able to move into the premises. This was accomplished with the assistance of many of the businesses in the community and a large volunteer organization, however, it is reported that Mr. Wing contributed over $200,000 of his own money toward the renovations. Today, the building is a historic site that attracts many visitors to view the outdoor museum of mining that Mr. Wing had constructed on an adjacent property.