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Manulife Financial and its employees donate $17,000 and more than four tonnes of food locally to help those in need this holiday season Waterloo - Manulife Financial and its employees in Kitchener-Waterloo are donating $8,500 and more than four tonnes of food to the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, plus another $8,500 to St. John’s Kitchen to support those in need during the holiday season. “We’re very pleased to support the local community and these organizations, in particular at this time of year,” said Paul Rooney, President and CEO of Manulife Canada. “Employee volunteerism is a cornerstone of Manulife’s community support and we’re proud of the contribution our employees make to the Kitchener-Waterloo area.” The donations represent Manulife’s matching contribution, dollar-for-dollar of employee cash contributions, plus non-perishable food donations presented by employees at the company’s traditional festive luncheons held Thursday at cafeterias in Waterloo and Kitchener. An earlier ‘dress-down day’ also generated non-perishable food donations. In the spirit of the holiday season, Manulife Financial’s Canadian Division also is donating $100,000 to charities in four cities where it has major operations, $40,000 to Food Banks Canada (formerly the Canadian Association of Food Banks) and $25,000 to Breakfast for Learning, a national nutrition program for school children. (See separate news release) Food Bank of Waterloo Region “In Waterloo Region, 45 per cent of emergency food hamper recipients are children under the age of 18,” says Wendi Campbell, Executive Director of the Food Bank of Waterloo Region. “This kind of support from employees at Manulife and all others in our area is vital for us to help those in need this holiday season.” Three million pounds of food is distributed each year by The Food Bank, through 71 member agencies and food programs. The community is encouraged to contribute to The Food Bank through food and financial donations, as well as volunteering. For more information or to make a donation online, visit www.thefoodbank.ca or call The Food Bank at 519-743-5576. St. John’s Kitchen St. John’s Kitchen, a project of The Working Centre, has been offering nutritious hot lunches daily for the past 20 years to people in need in Kitchener-Waterloo. Up to 300 people are served daily at its kitchen, located at 97 Victoria Street North in Kitchener. “We want to thank employees at Manulife for their ongoing support of St. John’s Kitchen,” said Joe Mancini, director of The Working Centre in downtown Kitchener. “St. John’s Kitchen is a thriving community of hundreds of people who work together for a common goal: the redistribution of food that would have been otherwise wasted.” To donate to St. John’s Kitchen, you can visit them online at www.theworkingcentre.org or call 519-743-1151. Manulife in the community With more than 3,700 employees in Waterloo Region, Manulife contributes to a wide range of community initiatives and causes, highlighted by the annual Manulife Bike & Hike for Heart each June in Waterloo. With more than 7,000 employees in its Canadian Division, Manulife contributes to a wide range of community initiatives and causes. In 2008, Manulife donated more than $9 million to non-profit organizations across Canada. - 30 - Media contact: Tom Nunn Assistant Vice President Manulife Financial 519-594-8578 tom_nunn@manulife.com |
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