As more Canadians across the country struggle to feed their families, businesses have the power to make an enormous impact on their communities.
That’s the message from Danny Popescu, founder and director of the Harbourfront Gives Foundation, which earlier this year doubled-down on its support of Food Banks Canada. A combination of rising inflation and soaring housing prices have caused a spike in demand at food banks across the country.
The problem hasn’t diminished with increasing inflation, rate hikes, and economic uncertainty among families. As a result, Popescu is asking his fellow Canadians to make sure the country’s children have enough to eat by supporting critical programs offered by Food Banks Canada.
“We know that the need for food assistance didn’t end with social distancing and quarantines,” Popescu said. “That’s why we’re continuing to support Food Banks Canada all year round. If we don’t want to live in a country where children go hungry, we need to come together and support the groups dedicated to solving the problem.”
Danny Popescu, also the founder and CEO of Harbourfront Wealth Management, has been a longtime supporter of Food Banks Canada. A fundraising campaign through his company Harbourfront Wealth Management raised enough money to supply 161,500 meals, according to the Harbourfront Gives Foundation website.
In just a few years, the Harbourfront Gives Foundation has donated more than $450,000 to 65 charitable organizations, locally, nationally and around the globe.
In May this year, Danny and his team joined hundreds of other volunteers to help pack thousands of nutritious food packs as part of After the Bell’s Packing Day event. Nutritious food packs are sent to kids in need along with additional donations to supplement with fresh items locally.
“Harbourfront Wealth Management is a people business, and our goal is to do the best that we can for all people. And that doesn’t include just our clients, our advisors, and our employees — it also means doing our very best to help our community,” Popescu said. “I think that’s why it’s more important than ever to support charities like Food Banks Canada.”
Food Banks Canada is the country’s largest charitable organization, dedicated to fighting hunger. The nonprofit works with a network of food banks and food programs across the country to improve access to healthy food.
In just one example, as many as one in four children across Newfoundland and Labrador are experiencing food insecurity, according to a February report from the CBC. As prices have increased for even necessities like fruits and vegetables, it’s become impossible for food banks to keep pace with the surging demand.
“We’re all in this together,” Popescu said. “When businesses support these initiatives, we help ensure that everyone in our community has access to the food they need to thrive.”
But supporting Food Banks Canada isn’t just good for the community – it’s good for business, too. Studies have shown that consumers are more likely to support businesses that are socially responsible, and that’s especially true among millennials. This generation will outnumber baby boomers in Canada by 2029, according to Statistics Canada, and is more likely to support companies with a focus on social responsibility.
According to one 2019 survey, 70 per cent of consumers want to know what the brands they support are doing to address social and environmental issues. By supporting Food Banks Canada, businesses aren’t just doing the right thing, Popescu said. They’re also building customer loyalty, simply by following a moral compass.
So Danny Popescu has a message for all business leaders: help ensure that all Canadians have access to the food they need to survive and thrive.
“Now is the time to step up and support our community,” he said. “By working together, we can truly make a real difference in the lives of Canadians.”
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