Gore Mutual Foundation Commits $2 Million in Donation Matching to Support Charities Across Canada Through CanadaHelps' COVID-19 Cause Funds

TORONTO, April 2, 2020 /CNW/ - At a time when charities dedicated to supporting COVID-19 relief efforts are struggling to keep up with demand, CanadaHelps, in partnership with Gore Mutual Foundation, is making it possible for Canadians to double the impact of their charitable donations.

With a single donation, Canadians can support broad COVID-19 response efforts in Canada  through the newly launched CanadaHelps COVID-19 Cause Funds. Each donation to the Funds will be doubled by Gore Mutual Foundation which has committed $2 million in matching funds to be split between COVID-19 Community Care Fund and COVID-19 Healthcare and Hospital Fund.

"Charities are critical in the response to  COVID-19, and play a crucial role both during a crisis and when we begin to recover afterwards. We are proud to provide a digital platform that enables Canadians to give safely, quickly and easily," says Marina Glogovac, President and CEO of CanadaHelps. "Gore Mutual Foundation's generous support, along with CanadaHelps' innovative COVID-19 Cause Funds, means more money will get into the hands of Canadian charities quickly. Canadians will have a way to support all the charities in these Funds, including healthcare providers and community organizations of all sizes, like never before."

The CanadaHelps COVID-19 Cause Funds support a range of relief efforts and are divided among the charities in the Funds from across the country who are responding to the crisis including hospitals, healthcare charities, shelters, food banks, mental health charities, and more, which are all doing their part to support those most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our healthcare system is facing a catastrophic crisis and communities across the country are dealing with widespread economic hardship right now," said Heidi Sevcik, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gore Mutual. "As time is of the essence, we've partnered with CanadaHelps to leverage their digital platform to rapidly disburse much needed funds to healthcare providers and communities dealing with the unprecedented scale of the COVID-19 crisis."

With a 180 year history of giving back, Gore Mutual formalized its commitment to supporting communities across Canada by registering its private charitable foundation in 1998. Over the past two decades, the Gore Mutual Foundation has helped over 700 charities and delivered a $42 million social return on investment.

Recent data revealed an uptick in donations from Canadians amid the recent COVID-19 crisis -- though it is not expected to sustain long term. There are hundreds of charities and hospitals across Canada specifically focused on supporting COVID-19 relief and focused on making Canadian communities safe and more resilient as we continue to respond to COVID-19. Even those of us not on the front lines can do our part to support and make a difference during this crisis.

About CanadaHelps.org
CanadaHelps builds effective and affordable fundraising technology, and provides free training and education so that all charities, regardless of size, have the capacity to increase their impact and succeed in the digital age. For Canadians, CanadaHelps.org, provides a convenient, safe and trusted one stop destination for donating to, fundraising for, or learning about any charity in Canada. Founded in 2000 and itself a charity, CanadaHelps has raised over $1B for charities from more than 2 million donors.

About Gore Mutual Insurance Company
Founded in 1839, Gore Mutual is Canada's oldest property and casualty insurer, with over $475M in premiums and over $1.1BN in assets. Based in Cambridge, Ontario and Vancouver, British Columbia, this Canadian-owned and operated mutual company employs over 400 people and is known for its investment in people, technology and innovation. Gore Mutual was voted the #1 insurance company by the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) in 2014, certified as a 2018 Best Workplace Canada and named a 2019 Best Workplace in Financial Services and Insurance. The Gore Mutual Foundation strengthens Canadian communities by supporting local initiatives and has donated more than $10M to over 700 charities over the past 20 years. Learn more at goremutual.ca.

SOURCE CanadaHelps.org

or to interview Marina Glogovac and Heidi Sevcik please contact: Wendy Bairos, Group Head, PR, Diamond Marketing Group, 416.831.9820, [email protected]