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Ontario Organizations Donate Over $800,000 To Help Fill Food Bank Shelves That Are Running Dangerously Low This Holiday Season

TORONTO, Dec. 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Ontario’s food bank network struggles to meet an unprecedented surge in demand, generous organizations have rallied behind Feed Ontario’s Full Shelves Campaign to ensure food banks have nutritious food for families in need this holiday season.

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Feed Ontario, an organization that unites food banks, industry partners, and local communities in efforts to end poverty and hunger, was thrilled to learn that several dedicated community partners, including Metro, Food Basics, Chicken Farmers of Ontario, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, and Toyota Canada, have come to the table with over $800,000 in additional support.

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“The donations we’ve received from generous community partners like Metro, Food Basics, Chicken Farmers of Ontario, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, and Toyota Canada are an incredible reminder of what can happen when caring people and organizations work together,” said Carolyn Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of Feed Ontario. “Feed Ontario can turn every dollar donated into the equivalent of two meals, meaning that the ultimate impact will be over one million meals to help support the record number of people accessing Ontario food banks right now.”

Canadian food and pharmacy leader METRO Inc.’s $500,000 donation is in addition to over four million kilograms of food donated through its innovative One More Bite food recovery program since 2018, which redistributes unsold, quality products to Ontario food banks from Metro and Food Basics stores.

Half of METRO’s $500,000 donation will be used to support Feed Ontario’s Full Shelves program, an initiative that provides highly valued pantry staples and fresh foods to food banks with dangerously low inventories, with the other half supporting other Feed Ontario programs and initiatives for community food banks.

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“METRO’s donation to Feed Ontario, as well as the food recovery program we’ve been supporting in Ontario since 2018, reflect our purpose to nourish the health and well-being of our communities, and enable METRO to make a concrete difference in the communities where we operate. We are proud to see our donation make an impact to a much-needed program like the Full Shelves Campaign, said Marie-Claude Bacon, Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications.

It’s not too late for organizations to take action to make the holidays a little brighter for the one in 19 Ontarians forced to access emergency food support. With 69 per cent of Ontario food banks concerned about having enough food in the months ahead, corporate donations have become even more vital as inflation continues to leave individuals with less to give. Corporate donors can choose from a range of options to support Feed Ontario’s Full Shelves campaign, which runs through March 2024, including in-kind donations of food and transportation, portion-of-proceeds campaigns, employee giving programs and corporate donations. To learn more, visit www.feedontario.ca/take-action/full-shelves. To connect with a Feed Ontario staff member to make a year-end donation, contact Stephanie Ashton-Smith at stephanie@feedontario.ca or  (416) 656-4100 ext. 2943.

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About Feed Ontario
From securing fresh and healthy food sources to driving change through policy research and innovative programming, Feed Ontario unites food banks, industry partners, and local communities in its work to end poverty and hunger. Join Feed Ontario and help build a healthier province. Every $1 raised provides the equivalent of 2 meals to an Ontarian facing hunger. Learn more at www.feedontario.ca and download the 2023 Hunger Report at www.feedontario.ca/hunger-report-2023.

For more information, please contact:
Andrea Waters | Feed Ontario | andrea@feedontario.ca | 416-656-4100 x2941

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