Maple Leaf campaign launched to support food relief efforts

April 14, 2020, Mississauga, Ont. – Maple Leaf Foods and the Centre for Action on Food Security have launched a $2-million campaign to support emergency food relief efforts across Canada.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has critically heightened the ongoing issue of food insecurity in Canada, which already affects over 4.4 million people, including one in six children,” said Lynda Kuhn, chair of the Maple Leaf Centre for Action on Food Security. “As a result, organizations which focus on social inclusion and sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty and its impacts are pivoting to meet the urgent immediate need for more food, for more people.

“At a time when self-isolation is a public health imperative, it is strikingly more difficult for people who lack the resources to safely meet the basic needs of their families. Food Banks Canada, Community Food Centres Canada and many organizations are doing extraordinary work to help fellow Canadians who are most vulnerable. Through this campaign, we are committed to supporting and expanding their dauntless efforts and outreach.”

Maple Leaf and the Centre have committed more than $1 million in financial contributions and a further $350,000 in product donations towards these efforts and are asking Canadians to join the effort and making a direct donation to either Community Food Centres Canada or Food Banks Canada at www.aparttogether.ca. Maple Leaf has redirected its advertising investment to promote the issue through a multi-media campaign on both television and social media.

“Already, one in eight Canadians lacked access to good food – but food insecurity has now become an even deeper national crisis,” said Nick Saul, CEO of Community Food Centres Canada. “Our national network of Community Food Centres and Good Food Organizations has been working tirelessly to safely provide good food to their communities. These matching funds will inspire people from all over Canada to contribute and will enable these organizations to continue their essential work.”

“While the need for food banks was already unacceptable, the extreme demands of the COVID-19 pandemic has made helping our most vulnerable neighbours much harder,” said Chris Hatch, CEO of Food Banks Canada. “This generous donation from Maple Leaf Foods and the Centre for Action on Food Security will help bring relief to the more than 3,000 food banks and agencies Food Banks Canada supports and who are working tirelessly on the frontline.”

Maple Leaf Foods employs about 13,000 people and does business in Canada, the U.S. And Asia.

The Maple Leaf Centre for Action on Food Security is a registered charity committed to working collaboratively, across sectors, to reduce food insecurity in Canada by 50 per cent by 2030.