The 2013 Extra Helping™ Spring Food Drive kicks off on April 19
VANCOUVER, Feb. 13, 2013 /CNW/ - British Columbia food banks got a big
boost last year thanks to the $160,000 and 140,000 pounds food donated
by customers and colleagues during food drives held at Real Canadian Superstore®, Your Independent Grocer®, nofrills®, Extra Foods®, and Wholesale Club™ stores.
"Food banks in British Columbia assist an average of nearly 100,000
individuals each month, 30 per cent of who are children," says Laura
Lansink, executive director, Food Banks BC. "The donations collected
through the annual spring and holiday campaigns held at these stores go
a long way to helping us keep our shelves stocked all year long."
Across Canada, Loblaw banner stores like Loblaws®, Loblaw great food®, Fortinos®, Zehrs Markets®, Zehrs Great Food™, Your Independent Grocer®, valu-mart®, Real Canadian Superstore®, Extra Foods®, Atlantic Superstore®, Provigo®and nofrills®raised $1.8 million and 1.47 million pounds of food for local food banks
in 2012. Thanks to customers' generosity and support, donations in 2012
exceeded those of 2011.
Loblaw grocery stores have a long history of supporting food banks in
their local communities. In 2009, the Company rebranded their efforts
to the Extra Helping™ Food Drive campaign, a united, national campaign in an effort to reduce
hunger. Since then, Loblaw stores have raised more than $5.4 million
and more than 5.7 million pounds of food to support local food banks.
"Loblaw is committed to fighting hunger across Canada and we want to
express our utmost gratitude to our customers for sharing our
dedication to this cause and for their generosity in helping to feed
families in local communities," says Peggy Hornell, senior director,
Community Investment, Loblaw Companies Limited.
In addition, through annual corporate donations, Loblaw Companies
Limited has contributed $1.125 million to date to Food Banks Canada in
support of their National Food Sharing Program.
The 2013 Extra Helping™ Spring Food Drive kicks off on April 19, 2013 at Real Canadian Superstore®, Your Independent Grocer®, nofrills®, Extra Foods®, and Wholesale Club™ stores in communities across British Columbia.
About Loblaw Companies Limited
Loblaw Companies Limited, a subsidiary of George Weston Limited, is
Canada's largest food retailer and a leading provider of drugstore,
general merchandise and financial products and services. Loblaw is one
of the largest private sector employers in Canada. With more than 1,000
corporate and franchised stores from coast to coast, Loblaw and its
franchisees employ more than 135,000 full-time and part-time employees.
Through its portfolio of store formats, Loblaw is committed to
providing Canadians with a wide, growing and successful range of
products and services to meet the everyday household demands of
Canadian consumers. Loblaw is known for the quality, innovation and
value of its food offering. It offers Canada's strongest control
(private) label program, including the unique President's Choice®, no name® and Joe Fresh® brands. In addition, the Company makes available to consumers President's Choice Financial® services and offers the PC® points loyalty program.
About Food Banks BC
Food Banks BC is the provincial association of 93 member food banks
across the province! Our vision is a hunger-free future, and we work
hard to support and inspire each one of our member food banks so that
they can in turn, achieve hunger-free communities all over BC. Every
year through the National Food Sharing System (NFSS), we distribute
more than one million pounds of food to community food banks. Plus,
through our BC Sharing coupons program, food banks in our province are
able to work directly with their local grocery stores to receive food
donations, every time a shopper scans a BC Share coupon. Last year,
our food banks helped close to 100,000 people throughout the province….
30% were children!
SOURCE: Loblaw Companies Limited
