SkipTheDishes, in partnership with Food Banks
Canada, will help provide critically needed food and personal
hygiene items this Giving Tuesday and deliver limited-edition totes
designed by acclaimed artist Briony Douglas to Canadians supporting
the cause
WINNIPEG, MB, Nov. 21,
2023 /CNW/ - With food bank usage in Canada at an all-time record high,
SkipTheDishes and Food Banks Canada are banding together this
Giving Tuesday to provide emergency food and resources to Canadian
families who need it most. Beginning November 28, Canadians can help Skip reach its
goal of donating the value of 2,000 Give Boxes containing the ten
most needed food and personal hygiene items to families facing food
insecurity, in addition to Skip's $100,000 matching donation with Food Banks
Canada.
Getting involved is easier than ever and comes at no cost to
Canadians looking to give and "take out hunger" in our communities.
From November 28 until December 1, simply head to Skip Express Lane via
the website or SkipTheDishes mobile app and add a Give Box to your
cart, at no cost to you, before checking out.
Skip will then donate the value of the Give Box, which
highlights the top ten items identified as the most in need by Food
Banks Canada, on your behalf – up to a total donation of
$100,000. These top needed items
include: pasta and pasta sauces, canned fish and meats, canned
beans and soups, canned fruits and vegetables, meat alternatives,
dairy products, rice and whole grain cereals, infant foods and
formula, bathroom tissue and diapers and personal hygiene
products.
"With food banks visits in 2023 surpassing the highest levels in
Canadian history, initiatives such as our annual Winter Charity campaign with SkipTheDishes are
more important than ever before," says Kirstin Beardsley, CEO of Food Banks Canada.
"We're incredibly grateful for our longstanding partnership with
Skip and through these donations, we will be able to provide more
families with immediate access to nutritious food."
To thank Canadians for their support, the first 500 customers to
include a Give Box with their order on Skip Express Lane will
receive a limited-edition reusable tote, designed by acclaimed
Canadian artist and food insecurity advocate, Briony Douglas. The
design features the items that are most in need.
"Food Banks Canada is an organization that is close to my heart,
as ensuring affordable access to food within our local communities
is top of mind for me - and likely for many Canadians who are
grappling with rising food and housing costs," says Briony Douglas.
"It's why I was so honoured to be part of this year's campaign and
create a piece of artwork that can drive greater awareness of the
increasing number of Canadians that need our help during this
challenging time."
This is Skip's fourth consecutive year working with Food Banks
Canada on their Winter Charity Campaign, which has provided more
than 4.7 million meals across Canada, as well as weekly food donations from
Skip Express Lane store locations to local food banks across the
country. Both organizations continue to share the common goal of
creating immediate and long-term solutions to combat food
insecurity:
- Visits to food banks have increased by 78.5 per cent since
2019.
- In March 2023 alone, there was
almost 2 million visits to food banks in Canada.
- One-third of food bank clients are children.
- The top reasons people accessed a food bank this year were food
costs, housing costs, low wages or not enough hours of work.
"As Canada's homegrown food
delivery network, we're committed to continuing our fight against
food insecurity in our communities, because no one deserves to go
hungry," says Melanie
Fatouros-Richardson, Vice President, Communications and
Government Relations. "Through our dedicated partnership with Food
Banks Canada and Canadians' ongoing support, we look forward to
taking meaningful steps forward to alleviate hunger and help those
in need this holiday season."
Canadians can support families in need by adding a Give Box to
their cart (at no cost to you) before placing an order on Skip
Express Lane from November 28 to December
1. If you are not able to place an order on Skip Express
Lane, Canadians can also donate directly to Food Banks Canada on
November 28th, where Skip will match
contributions up to a total of $100,000.
About SkipTheDishes
SkipTheDishes is part of Just Eat Takeaway.com, a leading global
online food delivery marketplace. SkipTheDishes connects millions
of customers with over 50,000 Restaurant Partners in Canada.
About Food Banks Canada
Food Banks Canada provides national leadership to relieve hunger
today and prevent need tomorrow in collaboration with the food bank
network from coast-to-coast-to-coast. For 40 years, food banks have
been dedicated to helping Canadians living with food insecurity.
Over 4,750 food banks and community organizations come together to
serve our most vulnerable neighbours who in March of last year made
nearly 2 million visits to these organizations, according to our
2023 HungerCount Report. Over the past 10 years, as a system we've
sourced and shared over 1.4 billion pounds of food, and Food Banks
Canada shared nearly $168 million in
funding to help maximize collective impact and strengthen local
capacity – while advocating for reducing the need for food banks.
Our vision is clear: create a Canada where no one goes hungry. Visit
foodbankscanada.ca to learn more.
SOURCE SkipTheDishes