MEDIA ADVISORY & PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: PLANT IT AND THEY WILL GLEAN

DIRECT ENERGY VOLUNTEERS HARVEST THANKSGIVING BOUNTY FOR FOOD BANKS

MARKHAM, ON, Oct 4 /CNW/ - On Tuesday, October 5, over 80 volunteers from Direct Energy will pick thousands of pounds of fresh vegetables to help local families and food banks in time for Thanksgiving. The initiative, part of the Ontario Association of Food Banks' (OAFB) Community Harvest Ontario program, is taking place at Whittamore's Farm in Markham. The goal for the day is to harvest over 10,000 pounds of fresh, local foods for local food banks.   

Date and Time:	Tuesday, October 5^th 10:30 to Noon
Location:	Whittamore's Farm, 8100 Steeles Avenue E., Markham
Representatives:	Rob Comstock, Senior Vice President, Home & Business Services, Direct Energy
	Ed Borkowski, Executive Director, Ontario Association of Food Banks
Site Contacts:	Crystal Jongeward, Direct Energy, Mobile: [phone]
	Todd Jaques, Ontario Association of Food Banks,
	Mobile: [phone]

Media representatives are invited to attend.  There will be a photo opportunity at 10:30 am, as well as opportunities for the media to interview Mr. Comstock and Mr.Borkowski.

About the Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB)
The Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) is a network of 20 regional food banks and over 100 community food banks across the province from Windsor to Ottawa and Niagara Falls to Thunder Bay working towards a hunger-free Ontario. It is our mission to provide food, funding, and solutions to reduce hunger in the province. For more information about OAFB as well as hunger and poverty in Ontario, please visit www.oafb.ca.

About Direct Energy
Direct Energy is North America's largest provider of heating & cooling, plumbing and electrical services and a leading energy and energy-related services provider with over eight million residential and commercial customer relationships. Direct Energy provides customers with choice and support in managing their energy costs through a portfolio of innovative products and services. A subsidiary of Centrica plc (LSE: CNA), one of the world's leading integrated energy companies, Direct Energy operates in 46 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia and 10 provinces in Canada. To learn more about Direct Energy, please visit www.directenergy.com.

To learn more about Community Harvest Ontario, visit www.communityharvest.ca

For further information:

Todd Jaques, Ontario Association of Food Banks, Mobile: [phone]
Crystal Jongeward, Direct Energy, Mobile: [phone]