FCC Drive Away Hunger launch supports school meal programs

Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is once again contributing $100,000 to school meal programs across Canada as part of the Crown corporation’s annual campaign to help alleviate hunger.

For a second year in a row, FCC is supporting meal programs offered at 100 schools across Canada. Recipient schools are selected based on need by FCC offices across Canada.

“No child should ever have to go to school on an empty stomach,” said FCC president and CEO Michael Hoffort, in announcing this year’s goal to collect the equivalent of five million meals for Canada’s food banks. “That’s why we are joining our industry partners and taking the fight against hunger to the schools, as well as collecting food and cash donations for Canada’s food banks.”

One of the more visible activities of FCC Drive Away Hunger involves driving a tractor and trailer through communities to collect food and cash donations for food banks across the country.

To mark the 15th anniversary of FCC Drive Away Hunger, tractor tours are scheduled to take place in the 15 days leading up to October 18. Beginning on October 4, FCC Drive Away Hunger tractor tours will take place in British Columbia (Abbotsford), Alberta (Lloydminster, Lethbridge), Saskatchewan (Regina, Saskatoon, Yorkton, Moose Jaw, Humboldt), Manitoba (Brandon, Steinbach), Ontario (Kingston, Woodstock, Thornton, Kanata, Walkerton, Simcoe), Quebec (Joliette), New Brunswick (Moncton, Woodstock), Nova Scotia (Kentville) and Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown) to collect food and donations from individuals and organizations, including industry partners and schools. 

FCC offices are also now collecting food and cash donations until October 18. One hundred per cent of donations go to Canadian food banks, and anyone can visit fccdriveawayhunger.ca to make a monetary donation.

“Canadian farmers and food processors produce world-class products, but unfortunately many low-income Canadians are not able to afford Canada’s high-quality, nutritious food,” Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay said. “That’s why I’m proud of the work being done by FCC and industry partners on the 15th annual FCC Drive Away Hunger campaign to help those in need by collecting generous donations to our food banks across the country.”

FCC is a national sponsor for Food Banks Canada’s Hunger Action Month, which runs throughout September. FCC Drive Away Hunger is FCC’s flagship community investment program. Since 2004, FCC employees, customers and community partners have raised over 40 million meals.

FCC’s enthusiastic corporate partners are also a major reason for the program’s success year after year.

As Platinum partners, BDO Canada LLP, The Meat Factory Limited, Courchesne Larose, Chenail Fruits & Legumes and Dedicated Harvesters have committed to providing food and funds to feed the hungry through FCC Drive Away Hunger.

Parrish & Heimbecker Limited, Windset Farms, Co-op, Ray-Mont Logistics International, Nutrigroupe, Groupe Vegco Inc, VegPro, Paysan and duBreton have also joined as national partners.

FCC is Canada’s leading agriculture lender, with a healthy loan portfolio of more than $33 billion. Our employees are dedicated to the future of Canadian agriculture and its role in feeding an ever-growing world. We provide flexible, competitively priced financing, management software, information and knowledge specifically designed for the agriculture and agri-food industry. As a self-sustaining Crown corporation, our profits are reinvested back into the agriculture and food industry we serve and the communities where our customers and employees live and work while providing an appropriate return to our shareholder. Visit fcc.ca