OTTAWA, ON – Premium Meats are choosing to donate $1 million in meat and poultry products to the Ottawa Food Bank. This is the first gift of this size to the Ottawa Food Bank in its 40-year history. The donations will be received from 2024 to 2034.
Marc Steele of Premium Meats, comments, “Premium Meats has our community at heart. We deeply empathize with families and individuals in our community who are experiencing need. We hope our gifts and ten-year commitment to the Ottawa Food Bank will ease the fear and worries families feel when they cannot afford to pay the bills and put enough food on the table. We hope other local businesses do the same.”
Premium Meats is a local business that has deep roots in Ottawa. They offer high-quality meat and chicken products which agencies and food bank clients are not likely to buy due to their high cost. Receiving them, in part to due this donation, will add much-needed protein and value to people accessing food banks.
In Ottawa, 1 in 7 community members face food insecurity. Annually, the Ottawa Food Bank network of 112 food programs receives over 490,000 visits for food support. That is the highest level of visits in the Ottawa Food Bank’s 40-year history, and a 68% jump since 2019.
In the face of rising food bank visits in Ottawa, last year the Ottawa Food Bank’s spending on food jumped to approximately $9.2 million, an increase of 46 percent from the year before.
Rachael Wilson, CEO of the Ottawa Food Bank, said, “Marc has been following the news stories about the astonishing surge in local need and recognizes the crucial role food banks play in our communities. He wanted to support our cause. This is the first gift of this size for the Ottawa Food Bank, and we are honoured to receive such generosity.”
“This incredible gift from Premium Meats is a remarkable expression of generosity and a long-term commitment to ensure everyone in Ottawa has safe, reliable access to healthy food.”
The gift of high-quality, frequently requested foods helps the Ottawa Food Bank manage the high cost of food purchasing and helps meet the high volume of requests for food support across the city. The gift of meats and poultry from Premium Meats also supports the healthy outcomes of people accessing food banks and struggling to afford these items on their own.
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About the Ottawa Food Bank:
The Ottawa Food Bank is the main emergency food provider in the National Capital Region, which works in partnership with a network of 112 community food programs to provide food and supplies for tens of thousands of people each month – 37 percent of whom are children. With a focus on fresh, and thanks to the community’s support, on average 12 to 14 tons of food is distributed from the 2001 Bantree Street warehouse every weekday.
For more information, please visit https://www.ottawafoodbank.ca/.
For media enquiries or to book an interview, please contact:
Tricia Johnson
Director of Communications and Development | Ottawa Food Bank
tricia@ottawafoodbank.ca, 613-745-7001 ext. 119
