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COVID-19: Rogers to provide Food Bank Canada with one million meals

The Canadian media company is also launching a major awareness campaign
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Salvation Army Food Bank in Prince Rupert has shelves that are almost bare. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic food supplies are short in most food banks throughout Canada. (Photo: K-J Millar/The Northern View)

Food Banks Canada (FBC) directly supports 650 food banks, helping thousands of programs across the country, and some are at a critical point, when it comes to having enough food to provide for those in need.

With that in mind, FBC has announced a goal of raising $150 million to fund the public’s need for food for the next 90 days, and Rogers is stepping up in a big way.

The Canadian media company is donating one million meals and helping raise awareness of this urgent need through a national awareness campaign to help fill the shelves. It will also be launching a food bank awareness campaign that will reach more than 30 million Canadians each week across the country. Beginning this week and airing for the next four weeks, the public service announcements will air in high rotation across Rogers’ suite of media assets, driving donations by individuals and companies to foodbankscanada.ca to help ensure our neighbours living with food insecurity in communities across the country have enough food to make it through this public health crisis.

Additionally, through employee contributions and a corporate donation, Rogers will bring more than one million meals to families across Canada.

“During these challenging times, we all want to find ways of helping one another. Nobody should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from,” said Joe Natale, president and chief executive officer, Rogers. “Partnering with Food Banks Canada is one way our Rogers family of 25,000 team members can help. We hope to encourage fellow Canadians and other corporations to contribute in any way they can. Together we can all do our part to make these uncertain times a little easier.”

“While there is always a need, the increased demands of COVID-19 has made helping the most vulnerable people in our communities that much harder. I’m impressed with the devotion and the ingenuity of the food bank network but we can’t continue to offer these services to Canadians without support,” said Chris Hatch, CEO, Food Banks Canada. “We are very appreciative that our friends at Rogers have helped lean in and support us during this crisis. Every action matters now more than ever, as we try to put our collective arms around this growing, essential need.”

Canadians who can help make a contribution of any size are asked to visit foodbankscanada.ca to help reach Food Banks Canada’s goal of raising $150 million. Donations will support Food Banks Canada to provide local food banks with the resources they need to adapt their client delivery processes in light of social distancing, manage demand with a decrease in volunteer resources, purchase much-needed staples and help clients in quarantine situations by providing essential food supports to them in home.