Purolator backs food banks for 20th year

For the 20th year Purolator staff are spending the month of June working to support Canadian food banks and fight hunger.

Purolator Tackle Hunger is celebrating its 20th anniversary with Purolator Tackle Hunger Month. From June 1 to 30, Purolator employees come together within their communities to run fundraising events and activities to donate to local food banks across the country.

In 2022, Purolator raised 327,075 pounds of food in support of Food Banks Canada, as part of its Purolator Tackle Hunger Month campaign. (CNW Group/Purolator Inc.)

“The number of Canadians going without food is rising at an alarming rate, and the demand on food banks is so much greater today than when we got involved 20 years ago,” said John Ferguson, Purolator’s president and CEO.

“Purolator Tackle Hunger began with a small group of our employees in British Columbia who came up with a solution to help get food to food banks; we had the trucks and the drive to make that happen and still do. In today’s crisis, this program is even more important, and thanks to the increased support of our 14,000 employees — and our customers, partners and communities — right across the country, we know we can do more.”

With the sharp rise in food bank usage in Canada, the Purolator Tackle Hunger program has a goal to raise a record two million pounds of food in 2023.

“Last year, there were almost 1.5 million visits to food banks in one month. The highest number in food bank history. Between record-high need, rising food costs, and declining donations, it’s becoming harder and harder for food banks to keep up,” shared Kirstin Beardsley, CEO, Food Banks Canada.

“The support we receive from Purolator Tackle Hunger helps as we work towards our vision of a Canada where no one goes hungry.”

The Purolator Tackle Hunger 20th-Anniversary Contest will run on social media throughout June, with the goals of driving awareness of food insecurity in Canada and raising donations for Canadian food banks.

Other events will take place to support Canadian food banks throughout the year, including CFL Game Day Food Drives and local community Red Bag food drive campaigns.