Media Advisory & Photo Opportunity: Ready, set, grow: Farmers and food banks
launch innovative new program

Community Harvest Ontario will increase fresh, local food donations by hundreds of thousands of pounds

TORONTO, July 12 /CNW/ - The Ontario Association of Food Banks will be launching Community Harvest Ontario, a major farm partnership program supported by the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, and the George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation this week on Wednesday, July 14th at Whittamore's Farm in Markham. The initiative will dramatically increase the amount of fresh, healthy, local food acquired and distributed by food banks across the province through innovative partnerships between farmers, food banks, and corporate partners to grow, glean and donate local fruits and vegetables.

    
    Date and Time:    Wednesday, July 14th at 11 am
    Location:         Whittamore's Farm (8100 Steeles Avenue, Markham)
    Representatives:  Hon. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Citizenship and
                       Immigration, Government of Ontario
                      Mr. Adam Spence, Executive Director, OAFB
                      Ms. Judy Dancause, Chair, OAFB and Executive Director,
                       Agape Centre in Cornwall
                      Ms. Fiona Blondin-Fiorini, Board Member, Ontario
                       Trillium Foundation (OTF)
                      Ms. Katie Rabinowicz, Environment Program, George
                       Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation
                      Ms. Sharleen Mascoll, Manager, Corporate
                       Responsibility, Direct Energy
    

Media representatives are invited to attend. There will be a photo opportunity at the launch and during gleaning activities, as well as opportunities for the media to interview Minister Hoskins, Ms. Dancause, and the foundation representatives.

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 THE ONTARIO TRILLIUM FOUNDATION

A leading grantmaker in Canada, the Ontario Trillium Foundation strengthens the capacity of the voluntary sector through investments in community-based initiatives. An agency of the Government of Ontario, OTF builds healthy and vibrant communities. www.trilliumfoundation.org

ABOUT THE FRIENDS OF THE GREENBELT FOUNDATION

Wrapping around the Golden Horseshoe, the Greenbelt is 1.8 million acres of potential to make Ontario a better place. Encompassing the Niagara Escarpment, the Oak Ridges Moraine, Rouge Park, hundreds of rural towns and villages and thousands of farms, Ontario's Greenbelt is the largest and most diverse in the world. The Greenbelt Foundation began in June 2005 as an independent, charitable foundation with a mandate to promote and sustain our Greenbelt as a beneficial, valuable, and permanent feature, enhancing the quality of life for Ontario residents.

ABOUT THE GEORGE CEDRIC METCALF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

The Metcalf Foundation helps Canadians imagine and build a just, healthy, and creative society by supporting dynamic leaders who are strengthening their communities, nurturing innovative approaches to persistent problems, and encouraging dialogue and learning to inform action.

For further information: Tara Tassone, Development and Communications Coordinator, Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB), Work: 416.656.4100, x. 2933, Mobile: [phone], Email: [email protected]; Adam Spence, Executive Director, Ontario Association of Food Banks, Mobile: [phone], Email: [email protected]