EDMONTON – Rogers Communications’ Step Up to the Plate initiative with Food Banks Canada has arrived in Alberta, the company announced today.
Delivering food hampers that will provide more than one million meals to local food banks in the province, the move into Alberta will help fill the plates of more than 56,000 Albertans, said the company press release.
“Albertans are part of our extended family at Rogers, and when our family needs help, it’s our responsibility to step up and pitch in, through food donations, volunteering, and more,” said Larry Goerzen, president of Alberta and Prairies, in the release. (pictured are the Edmonton volunteers)
The Step Up to the Plate initiative started in June at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, with Rogers employee volunteers and their families filling food hampers with non-perishable food items that provide an individual with a week’s worth of meals. “Now, trucks loaded with hampers and pallets of food are on the move, destined for communities across Canada, where an unprecedented eight million meals will be provided to Canadians when the initiative is completed this summer,” said the press release.
On arrival in Alberta, local Rogers employee volunteers are working with Edmonton’s Food Bank and the Calgary Food Bank to organize and prepare thousands of food hampers for distribution to those who need it most.
“As the country begins to reopen, the economic impact of the pandemic continues to be significant, affecting food insecurity and demand at food banks. According to Food Banks Canada, which supports over 3,000 food banks and community agencies from coast-to-coast-to-coast… many have been severely impacted by Covid-19, from decreased volunteers and donations to having to adapt their operations, making it more challenging to meet their clients’ needs,” reads the release.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has created even more challenges for vulnerable Calgarians, many of whom were already reeling from Alberta’s economic downturn,” said James McAra, president and CEO, Calgary Food Bank. “This donation will help us feed thousands of clients and is a great example of Rogers commitment to the community.”
Step Up to the Plate is part of The 60 Project, a year-long initiative to mark Rogers 60th anniversary by giving back and building a stronger Canada.
