Pork industry donates $55,000 to food programs in Ontario

GUELPH – Food programs across Ontario helped more people this past holiday season thanks to more than $55,000 in donations made on behalf of the province’s pork producers.

Funds were raised through the Pork Industry Gratitude Project, a grassroots initiative started by pork producers in Perth County, who wanted to bring some good into a challenging year.  The project wrapped up in December with a donation of $30,000 to the Feed Ontario network of food banks and an additional $25,000 shared between 28 community-based food programs.

This December, in the spirit of holiday giving, each of Ontario’s 25 local pork associations were invited to nominate a food-based charity in their community to receive a one-time donation of $1,000.

Lakeside Hope House, Guelph was the recipient of a $1,000 donation, thanks to a nomination from the Wellington-Dufferin Pork Producers’ Association.

In addition to this community-based giving by local associations, funds raised through the Pork Industry Gratitude Project enabled a one-time donation of $30,000 to Feed Ontario to purchase fresh ground pork.

Feed Ontario is a network representing 130 direct member food banks and over 1,100 affiliate agencies, distributing more than five million pounds of food each year to those in need.

This donation compliments Ontario Pork’s annual commitment of $40,000 per year to Feed Ontario, as well as the ongoing good work of the Ontario Pork and OPIC Friends of the Food Bank program.