Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and its partners throughout the country will strive to collect three million pounds of food for Canada’s food banks this year to mark the 11th anniversary of FCC Drive Away Hunger.
Left to right: Hank Klassen, Southeast Helping Hands and Wade Nerbas, FCC.
“To date, we’ve collected more than 17 million pounds of food through FCC Drive Away Hunger,” said Greg Stewart, FCC President and CEO. “Hunger is an issue that affects many families in rural Canada. FCC Drive Away Hunger is one of the ways we give back to the rural communities where our customers and employees live and work,” noting that hunger touches nearly 850,000 Canadians each month, many of whom are children.
FCC Drive Away Hunger is the largest employee-led food drive in Canada. It involves driving a tractor and trailer through various communities to collect food and cash donations for food banks across the country. One hundred per cent of donations go to Canadian food banks, and anyone can visit fccdriveawayhunger.ca to make a cash donation.
This year, FCC Drive Away Hunger tours will take place the week of October 13 in Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan. FCC is also collecting food and cash donations in field offices across Canada from May 5 to October 17.
“This program reflects the continued generosity and sense of community found throughout Canadian farm families,” said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “I commend FCC and its customers for their ongoing efforts in this initiative year after year.”
The FCC Drive Away Hunger launch coincides with Hunger Awareness Week from May 5 to 9, 2014, which is aimed to raise awareness about the issue of hunger in Canada. FCC launched its annual campaign by donating $100,000 to Food Banks Canada.
FCC’s enthusiastic partners are also a major reason for the program’s success year after year.
As Platinum partners, BDO and TMF Foods inc. have once again committed to collecting and providing food for FCC Drive Away Hunger.
“On behalf of BDO, I am thrilled to announce our continued support of the FCC Drive Away Hunger campaign,” said Keith Farlinger, Chief Executive Officer, BDO. “This is our seventh year of participation, which sees our offices join forces from coast to coast to collect food and monetary donations. We are proud to partner with FCC once again to help Canadians in need.”
“You’ve got to give back to your communities,” said Lou Albanese, CEO of TMF Foods Ltd who will participate by donating meat to Ontario food banks for a second year.
Parrish and Heimbecker Limited (New Life Mills), Windset FarmsTM, Co-op, Défi Jeunesse (Moissonneurs Solidaires), Solis Foods Corporation and Alliance Grain Traders are also on board as National partners, playing an important role across Canada in collecting donations and helping FCC achieve its goal.
“I’m truly touched by the amount of support in communities across Canada,” said Stewart. “At FCC we believe in the cause and we’re thankful to our customers who take action in their communities to help feed those less fortunate.”
