During the month of September Saskatoon citizens took action against hunger by participating in the Hunger Action Month Challenge, a national initiative designed to raise awareness and take action against hunger in Canadian communities.
Canpotex was the first to step up to the challenge, in the form of a matching donation campaign for the second year in a row, matching every dollar donated in September dollar for dollar, up to $50,000, in support of the Milk for Children Program. Dollars raised in the month of September go toward the program, which provides every child with a litre of fresh milk at every visit. Of the nearly 20,000 people who rely on the food bank each month, almost half are children.
This matching campaign generated $47, 000 dollars in matching donations, bringing the total raised during September to $97,000! Laurie O’Connor, Executive Director of the SFBLC, says the month long initiative resulted in greater awareness as the organization saw donations increase: “We would like to thank Canpotex for spearheading this matching campaign, and we thank everyone who stopped by for a visit, donated, volunteered, or got involved during Hunger Action Month. Being able to promote this generous matching campaign during the month of September is an excellent fit for our organization and a great way to spread the word about the critical importance of responding to hunger in our community.”
Ken Seitz, President and CEO of Canpotex, accepted the challenge: “We are pleased to support the Milk for Children Program, which is perfectly aligned with our focus on food security. We are particularly proud that many of our employees volunteer their time here and raise money for this important cause. It is heartening to see so much community support for the critical work the Food bank does, and rewarding to be part of the effort. We encourage our fellow community members to continue supporting the Food Bank and helping to fight hunger in our hometown.”