WHITEHORSE, July 9, 2024 — Purolator announced today an expansion of its partnership with Food Banks Canada to provide transportation and logistics support for the organization’s northern program, through its Purolator Tackle Hunger® program.
The partnership sees Purolator utilising its extensive network to support Food Banks Canada by transporting food to food banks in remote communities in Northern Canada.
The first shipment, consisting of four skids with a total of 4,300 pounds of food, arrived at Purolator’s Whitehorse terminal last week before being delivered to the Food Bank Society of the Yukon and the The Salvation Army Food Bank in Yellowknife. Purolator will continue to work with Food Banks Canada to support additional shipments as needed.
“We’re incredibly proud to be able to expand our partnership with Food Banks Canada to provide this support for the important work they’re doing through their northern program,” said Purolator Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Chris Spanjaard, who visited the Food Bank Society of the Yukon in Whitehorse earlier today to see first-hand the work the partnership would support.
“Purolator has established the largest nationally integrated freight and courier network in Canada, delivering to 100 per cent of postal codes across the country. This network, coupled with our industry-leading freight and logistics solutions, allows us to step up and support this essential service for communities in northern Canada, ensuring donations can reach as many people as possible, even those in our most remote communities.
“Purolator has partnered with Food Banks Canada for a number of years through Purolator Tackle Hunger, an employee-led initiative to collect food and monetary donations and help raise awareness about the issue of food insecurity across Canada.”
Purolator also donated $100,000 to Food Banks Canada in 2023, including $25,000 allocated specifically to The North Program, which addresses food insecurity and the systemic barriers facing communities in Northern Canada.
“We know that it is an extremely difficult time for many, with food bank use rising to the highest levels in Canadian history. This problem is disproportionately worse in remote Northern communities,” said Kirstin Beardsley, Chief Executive Officer, Food Banks Canada. “Thank you, Purolator, for collaborating with us on this pilot program addressing this critical issue that deeply affects Northern communities grappling with this crisis of food insecurity.”
“People in the north face food costs that are ever increasing. The Food Bank Society of the Yukon spends a significant amount of its funds shipping food not only to the Yukon, but across it, each and every year. Donations like this make a real difference to us and our clients, thank you Purolator!” said Dave Blottner, Executive Director, Food Bank Society of the Yukon.
“Families and individuals in Yellowknife are facing what are sometimes, insurmountable costs in every way, forcing more and more to use the food bank each month”, said Major Tony Brushett, Executive Director of The Salvation Army Food Bank in Yellowknife. “On behalf of those who receive the 400 to 500 food hampers monthly, we extend a sincere thank you to Food Banks Canada and Purolator, because, without support like this, we simply would not be able to meet the needs.”
About Purolator Tackle Hunger®
As part of Purolator’s commitment to helping alleviate hunger in the communities where it operates, the organization works closely with its employees, partners, customers, Canadian food banks and charitable organizations to collect food and monetary donations. Together, we also help raise awareness about the issue of food insecurity. Since the inception of Purolator’s employee-led grassroots program over 20 years ago, Purolator Tackle Hunger® has helped deliver more than 22 million pounds of food to Canadian food banks. For more information, visit purolatortacklehunger.com.
About Food Banks Canada
Food Banks Canada provides national leadership to relieve hunger today and prevent hunger tomorrow in collaboration with the food bank network from coast to coast to coast. For 40 years, food banks have been dedicated to helping people living with food insecurity. Over 5,100 food banks and community organizations come together to serve our most vulnerable neighbours who this year made 1.9 million visits to these organizations in one month alone, according to our 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 http://www.foodbankscanada.ca/ to learn more.
Media contacts
Tom Kennedy
Senior Consultant, Communications
Purolator
416 717-0378
[email protected]
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