Economical Insurance Donates $10,000 to Ontario Families in Need

TORONTO, Aug. 7, 2014 /CNW/ - With more than 375,000 Ontario adults and children turning to food banks every month for assistance, the Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) is delighted to announce that Economical Insurance has made a timely donation of $10,000 to support of the association's Feeding Families program.

"This very generous donation could not have come at a better moment," says Bill Laidlaw, Executive Director of the OAFB. "Food bank use increases throughout the summer because children who rely on breakfast clubs and school-meal programs no longer have access to these services when school is not in session. Many families are experiencing increased living costs associated with summer childcare and the challenges of getting into these programs, so they often have no other choice but to access their community food banks throughout June, July, and August."

Economical's $10,000 donation will be used to increase the amount of fresh, healthy food available to children and adults living with chronic hunger across Ontario. This includes providing a greater quantity of fresh protein, such as eggs, chicken and dairy, as well as more fresh fruit and vegetables.

"We are thrilled that our $10,000 donation will enable the OAFB to provide the equivalent of $80,000 worth of quality food to help Ontario families in need," said Robert Gow, Economical's vice-president of sales and distribution for Ontario. "This is the result of the great relationships the OAFB has established with regional and national food producers and distributors that give them the purchasing power to buy large volumes of food to serve their 127 member food banks and hunger-relief programs across the province."

"On behalf of the Ontario Association of Food Banks, hunger-relief agencies across the province, and the people we serve – Thank You, Economical!" said Laidlaw. "You have made an incredible difference in our work this summer, and our continued work throughout the upcoming year."

About the OAFB
The Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) is a network of 127 food banks and over 1,100 hunger relief programs and agencies across the province. Together, we serve 375,000 individuals, including 131,000 children, every month. The OAFB is committed to reducing hunger through sustainable solutions that ensure the long-term health and success of communities across the province.

About Economical Insurance
Founded in 1871, Economical Insurance is one of Canada's leading property and casualty insurers, with approximately $1.9 billion in annualized premium volume and $5.1 billion in assets as at June 30, 2014. In 2010, Economical announced its decision to become the first federally-regulated mutual property and casualty insurance company to pursue demutualization. Economical Insurance conducts business under the following brands: Economical Insurance, Economical, Western General, Economical Select, Perth Insurance, Family Insurance Solutions, Federation Insurance and Economical Financial.

SOURCE: Economical Insurance

or to request an interview with Bill Laidlaw, please contact: Amanda King, Ontario Association of Food Banks, [email protected], 416-656-4100 x2932