LCBO customers and employees raise $580,000 for Haiti Relief

TORONTO , Feb. 5 /CNW/ - Since mid-January, LCBO customers and employees have raised more than $580,000 for the Canadian Red Cross Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund at LCBO stores throughout Ontario. The Canadian government will match every dollar Canadians contribute to the relief effort in Haiti .

"The generosity of LCBO and its customers has been overwhelming," said Ron Kelusky, Director General for the Red Cross in Ontario. "This support will help the Red Cross continue to provide for immediate needs including shelter, clean water and medical support, as well as address longer-term needs of the affected communities as we begin to help them rebuild and recover."

"Our customers and employees have a long history of helping those in need and this spirit of giving is again evident in their response to earthquake-ravaged Haiti ," said LCBO President and CEO Bob Peter .

In calendar 2009, LCBO raised a total of $4.2 million for various charities. This included $3.8 million for 26 provincial and numerous local charities through in-store fundraising. Of this, $1.9 million was for the United Way.

In December 2009 alone, a total of $1.8 million was raised through in-store donation boxes and prompted cash donations to benefit MADD Canada and four Ontario children's hospitals including Children's Health Foundation ( London ), Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Foundation ( Ottawa ), SickKids Foundation ( Toronto ) and McMaster Children's Hospital (Hamilton).

"We are truly overwhelmed by the generosity of LCBO customers and employees. This support helps MADD Canada in its continuing efforts to stop impaired driving," said Andrew Murie , CEO of MADD Canada .

In 2010, another 26 provincial and numerous local charities will benefit from LCBO's province-wide donation box program including: Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario; Variety Village; March of Dimes; Health Nexus; Canadian Cancer Society - Daffodil Days; Parkinson Society Canada ; Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario; Hospice Association of Ontario; Canadian Hearing Society; Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada - Carnation Campaign; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Society of Ontario; The Sunshine Foundation of Canada ; VON (Victorian Order of Nurses) Canada Foundation; Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Association of Ontario; The Student Life Education Company Inc.; Muscular Dystrophy Canada ; United Way; Schizophrenia Society of Ontario; Canadian Diabetes Association; Lupus Foundation of Ontario; Royal Canadian Legion - Poppy Box & Tag Days; MADD Canada ; Children's Health Foundation; Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Foundation; McMaster Children's Hospital; SickKids Foundation.

For more information about LCBO community support and fundraising initiatives, visit www.lcbo.com/sr.

For further information: MEDIA CONTACTS: Chris Layton, Media Relations Coordinator, Tel. [phone], Cell: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]; Stephanie Petroff, Senior Communications Consultant, Tel. [phone], E-mail: [email protected]