We Day tackles hunger at home with support for local food bank
16,000 students to donate food at We Day celebration at the Air Canada Centre
TORONTO, Oct. 3 – This Monday, October 5, 2009, 16,000 students will help to fill a North York Harvest Food Bank delivery truck with food during Free the Children’s We Day. We Day, an annual celebration of the power of young people to change the world, will bring student leaders to the Air Canada Centre for an all-star line up including author and environmentalist Robert Kennedy Jr., community activist and CEO of the Toronto Argonauts, Michael “Pinball” Clemens, multi-platinum recording artists Hedley, the Right Honourable Paul Martin, Nobel Laureate and humanitarian Elie Wiesel, and other special guests.
In the spirit of creating change in their local communities, all 16,000 students will be bringing non-perishable food donations for the North York Harvest Food Bank and depositing them in one of 50 shopping carts located throughout the Air Canada Centre. Over 30 We Day volunteers will be helping to transport the carts and unload them into the North York Harvest truck.
“We are thrilled to have been selected as the charity of choice for We Day,” says Anette Chawla, Executive Director of the North York Harvest Food Bank. “The event reminds us of the capacity for young people to effect meaningful social change and, in this case, to help fight hunger in northern Toronto communities. It also comes at a crucial time during our Fall Food Drive which runs until October 23rd.”
WHAT: Free the Children’s We Day
WHO: We Day volunteers fill a North York Harvest Food Bank delivery truck with food
WHERE: Air Canada Centre (southwest corner)
WHEN: Monday, October 5, 2009 at 10:30 am
About Free The Children
Free The Children is the world’s largest network of children helping children through education, with more
than one million youth involved in innovative education and development programs in 45 countries. Founded in 1995 by international child rights activist Craig Kielburger, Free the Children has a proven track record of success. Through the energy and passion of youth, Free the Children has built more than 500 schools around the world and it provides education for 50 000 children every day. The organization has received the World’s Children’s Prize for the rights of the Child (also known as the Children’s Nobel Prize), the Human Right’s Award from the World association of Non-governmental Organizations, and has formed successful partnership with leading school boards and Oprah’s Angel Network. For more information please visit www.freethechildren.com
About the North York Harvest Food Bank
The North York Harvest Food Bank is the primary food bank for northern Toronto. An independent, charitable organization, it distributes over one million pounds of food annually to 60 community food programs between Hwy 27, Steeles Ave, Victoria Park Ave, and St. Clair Ave/Eglinton Ave. To learn more about North York Harvest programs, visit www.northyorkharvest.com.
The North York Harvest Fall Food Drive runs until October 23, 2009. Financial contributions can be made online at www.northyorkharvest.com or by phone with a credit card by calling 416-635-7771. Cheques can be mailed to: North York Harvest Food Bank, 640 Lawrence Ave West, Toronto, ON M6A 1B1. Nutritious, non-perishable food items can be dropped off at participating supermarkets and fire halls in northern Toronto (see website for locations). The most needed items include: canned fish or meat; canned fruit or vegetables; canned and dried beans; baby food and formula; diapers; pasta sauce; cooking oil; and baking ingredients.
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For further information, contact:
Daniel Liadsky
Senior Manager, Community Engagement
416-635-7771 ext. 32
daniel [at] northyorkharvest [dot] com
