Vancouver vs Toronto Facing Off to End Hunger
Starting today, two of Canada’s largest cities, Toronto and Vancouver, are taking their civic and sporting rivalry online to decide which is the country’s most charitable city. It’s the Power of 2 – Toronto vs. Vancouver.
The Power of 2 (www.power-of-2.org), a fundraising initiative dedicated to unlocking celebrity power for social good, gives celebrities (and this time, cities) the opportunity to go beyond the usual gala events and use social media to make meaningful social impact.
There will be only one ultimate ‘winner’, but the real victors are the two food banks, Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank and the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. All of the funds raised will go towards pro-actively working to help end hunger in our communities.
“We look forward to working with the Daily Bread and sending a message from coast to coast that through collaboration, we can all play a role in supporting our most vulnerable,” says Aart Schuurman Hess, CEO, Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. “Our community is extremely supportive and we look forward to the positive impact that the Power of 2 will have on the overall health of our community.”
“This is a great way to raise awareness during our Thanksgiving Drive that hunger is a problem that people struggle with right across the country. And poverty is the root of that problem, so let’s shine a big light on that and work towards solutions so families can afford to feed their children,” says Gail Nyberg, Daily Bread’s executive director. “I do feel sorry for Vancouver, though. For some reason, they seem to actually think they have a shot at beatingToronto. They’re going to be very disappointed.”
To get this Power of 2 ‘city challenge’ off to a great start, Investors Group has made a $15,000 contribution - $7,500to both Toronto and Vancouver. They firmly believe in the mission and impact of both Daily Bread Food Bank and the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society.
“Investors Group is committed to giving back to the communities in which we live and work, so helping to bring attention to the issue of hunger in Canada is very important to us,” said Richard Irish, Vice-President, Community Affairs and Marketing Support. “Many food banks now provide so much more than food. They offer advocacy services, budgeting information, community kitchens and employment and other training programs. The work they do is essential to the vitality of our communities and we are proud to support them.”
The Power of 2 is win-win-win: The charities get a big cheque to support their great work, cities get to show their civic pride, and everyone who supports the campaign will be entered into a draw to win a ‘5-Star Saturday’ in their city. You can give and share the campaign at www.power-of-2.org.
