HoHoTO is Back - Toronto's Most Awesome Holiday Fundraiser Returns to Benefit Daily Bread Food Bank

2012 marks the fifth anniversary of tackling local hunger through the power of social media

TORONTO, Dec. 6, 2012 /CNW/ - Celebrating our 5th anniversary helping make the world suck a little less, HoHoTO, a fundraiser and kick-ass party in support of Daily Bread Food Bank is set to take over Mod Club on December 13, 2012 for a night of holiday cheer, DJs, dancing, raffle prizes, instagramming and non-stop tweeting.

Since 2008, HoHoTO has raised over $225,000 for Daily Bread Food Bank. HoHoTO is often cited as one of the first remarkable examples of a hyper-connected social media movement using the power of self-organizing online groups to make a real world difference.

"In Toronto, with the resources we have, it's outrageous that any of our neighbours, our colleagues and our community should ever go hungry, but they do. Every single day. Often, people who turn to Daily Bread for food have jobs, just not enough income to pay for rent and food. Some educated and skilled people have been between jobs just a little too long, and have no other option. Many are children; perhaps they even go to school with your kids," says Alexa Clark, Editor and Publisher, CheapEats Restaurant Guides, and one of the fundraiser's founding organizers. "These are people in our neighbourhoods, our communities, and our city. Does that twang a heartstring or two? Good! We need your help to help Daily Bread feed the hungry in our city."

Run on zero budget by a motley assembly of volunteers who rely on freely available online collaboration tools to pull off this extraordinary event, HoHoTO proudly donates 100 per cent of all sponsorships and ticket sales to help Daily Bread feed the hungry.

"I'm always amazed at what HoHoTO manages to accomplish every year. It's a great party and a fun time but also reminds people that there are those who are struggling," said Gail Nyberg, Executive Director, Daily Bread Food Bank. "I'm always thrilled when people choose to give their time and energy back to the community in this way."

In the past four years, Daily Bread Food Bank has seen an 18 per cent increase in food bank use and one-third of the people coming to food banks are children. Most food bank clients spend more than 70 per cent of their income on housing and anything over 50 per cent puts a person at serious risk of homelessness. It's critical that everyone has the opportunity to have a roof over their head and to put food on the table.

To buy tickets or make a donation, please visit http://hohoto.ca. Sponsorship opportunities are also available at http://hohoto.ca/sponsorship/.  Followers can track the ongoing discussion around this event on Twitter by following @HoHoTO or searching the #hohoto hashtag.

About HoHoTO

HoHoTO started as a casual remark in a Twitter discussion in 2008 and grew at Web speed to become Toronto's biggest Holiday fundraiser for the geek community, almost overnight. HoHoTO was built as a way for Toronto's vibrant, thriving tech community to spread a little love each holiday season, and give something to those less fortunate.

HoHoTO has been cited as one of the first and best examples of the power of self-organizing online groups to make a real-world difference. The event has been profiled as a best-practice use of Twitter and social media in best-selling business books, recognized by Queen Rania of Jordan as an example of social media influencing online activism, and endorsed by Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, Rick Mercer, David Miller, Don Tapscott, Reddit's Alexis Ohanian, Cory Doctorow, David Weinberger, and others.

SOURCE: HoHoTO

Ashleigh Cartier
Media Profile
416.342.1826
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