Donation also marks 60th year of the company
TORONTO – The founding family of Rogers Communications announced today they will donate $60 million this year to various charities across the country to help Canadians who have been hardest hit by the financial impact of the Covid-19 crisis.
A total of $20 million is going to Food Banks Canada, where the funds “will enable FBC to help more Canadians, more quickly, by increasing bulk food purchases; and work collaboratively with communities and industries within the agricultural sector to build dedicated food production partnerships,” reads the Rogers press release.
That donation is the largest single donation in FBC’s history. “I can’t even begin to stress how invaluable generous donations like this are for food banks,” said Chris Hatch, CEO of Food Banks Canada, in its press release. “I personally want to thank the Rogers family for this remarkable gift and their long-standing commitment to helping us improve food security in Canada. Their support is essential to keeping Canadians fed not only during the Covid-19 crisis but as we enter a future of uncertainty.”
Rogers helped launch Food Banks Canada’s $150 million fundraising campaign by creating public service announcements and media support to share them across its channels, and the company has already donated more than 1.77 million meals during the pandemic.
Part of the donation is going to the Salvation Army to allow it to serve more fresh, healthy food, to increase transportation for food delivery and food delivery hubs to support 257 food banks serving 400 communities, to aid disaster relief including meal trucks and transportation, enhance counselling and practical support, and help address immediate Covid-19 needs in shelters in pandemic hot spots.
Funds will also be allocated to fight homelessness and aid those suffering through domestic abuse through Women’s Shelters Canada. “These funds will increase the capacity of shelters to provide key services to women and children fleeing violence in an environment that is constantly shifting with Covid-19,” reads the announcement.
“They will allow for increased training for shelter workers; enhanced housing programs to get women quickly into safe and affordable housing in their community; support shelters to work together in a new, more digitally focused context; and support shelters in rural, remote, northern, and Indigenous communities to increase access and technology to effectively reduce and respond to violence against women. The gift will also allow the organization to engage in a national prevention campaign that will include a comprehensive listing of programs for perpetrators.”
Additional funds will also be made available to help support other homeless shelters, specifically in areas underserved by the broader shelter networks, says the press release.
The Rogers family donation will also go towards the Children’s Aid Foundation to help address “the immediate and urgent needs of children and families involved with the child welfare system and youth 18-29 who have aged out of the government care system with housing costs; food, groceries and household supplies; online mental health supports; technology help for e-learning; and other emergency needs,” says the release.
Funding will also go to the Boost Child & Youth Advocacy Centre whose child and youth advocacy and assessment-directed therapy programs provide critical support to children, youth, and families during child abuse investigations and treatment. “These funds will allow for additional advocates and therapists to care for up to an additional 400 children,” says the release.
Easter Seals Canada, which supports individuals and families living with disability, will also see increased funding from the Rogers family to support the purchase of mobility equipment, accessibility devices, online services to reduce social and physical isolation and educational scholarships.
As well, Ted Rogers Community Grants will support more than 150 organizations in underserved communities across every province and territory in Canada, with programming centred on vulnerable youth focusing on leadership, mentoring, volunteering and academic support, adds the release.
“Our family is honoured to be able to do a small part to help Canadians and Canadian families as they try to recover from the difficult financial challenges that Covid-19 has brought to so many people, especially people already under financial stress,” said Martha Rogers, chair of The Rogers Foundation, in the press release. “All of the money will be donated in 2020 so we can make as immediate an impact as possible.”
“Through this donation the Rogers family builds on Rogers Communications support of Food Banks of Canada, Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada, Women’s Shelters Canada and PFLAG Canada,” said Edward Rogers, chairman of Rogers Communications.
“Our father, the late Ted Rogers, was a proud Canadian. He always worked to make Canada better and make our communities stronger,” added Melinda Rogers-Hixon, deputy chair of Rogers Communications. “With our mother, Loretta, Lisa, Edward, Martha, and I as well as our families are committed through this donation to organizations supporting those living with food insecurity, homelessness, domestic violence, and at-risk children and youth.”
