On Friday, January 31st, Ottawa came together for the Gold Hearts Gala: The Mayor’s Charity Ball Presented By Fairmont Château Laurier, in support of the Ottawa Food Bank. What was already a generous night was topped off with a surprise announcement from Ottawa Community Foundation (OCF) CEO Michael Maidment who shared that $1 million would be granted to the Ottawa Food Bank. This grant is the largest cash gift in the Ottawa Food Bank’s 40-year history.
As households across Ottawa experience food insecurity at levels we have never seen before, donations from the community help us purchase fresh, nutritious food that makes up nearly 60% of our spending and 43% of all food distributed. Without this support, the Ottawa Food Bank and the network of 98 food programs we partner with would not be able to support thousands of individuals and families in the city.
In total, the Gold Hearts Gala raised approximately $1.3 million, including a $50,000 matching gift from The Jeffrey and Joanne York Family Foundation.
The historic $1 million grant from OCF is especially noteworthy due to their ongoing investment in organizations that are addressing systemic issues such as poverty and housing. As the Ottawa Food Bank continues to see record-high food bank usage, our commitment to addressing the root causes of poverty is resolute. We welcome this partnership with OCF and share in their vision for a healthier city.
Thank you to all who came out in support of the Ottawa Food Bank at the Gold Hearts Gala, the Fairmont Château Laurier for organizing the event, The Jeffrey and Joanne York Family Foundation, and the Ottawa Community Foundation.
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Thank you to the sponsors of the Gold Hearts Gala: Ottawa International Airport Authority, Amazon, Audi City Ottawa, Audi Ottawa Audi West Ottawa, Assent, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa, Richcraft, Encore, Trexity, Wedecor, MediaPlus. Thank you to the Ottawa Firefighters and their volunteers. Thank you to Auctioneer Ryan Watson, the Château Laurier Planning Committee, Genevieve Dumas (General Manager of the Château Laurier), and her culinary team led by Executive Chef David de Bernardi.
