Toronto – January 28, 2009 – The Grocery Foundation, the charitable foundation of the Ontario grocery industry, which has been raising funds for special needs children for 30 years, today announced a donation of $372,000 to Variety Village. 

Every year, throughout the month of February the Grocery Foundation’s Cash for Kids initiative – the biggest in-store coupon campaign in Canada involving more than 50 brands, more than 1,000 grocery stores and 30 million coupons – raises funds to help feed children as well as improve the lives of those with special needs in Ontario.  Since 1979 Cash for Kids has raised $60 million.

Hearing that Variety Village was recently faced with the prospect of running out of funds and closing its doors after 60 years of service to Ontario children with special needs, The Grocery Foundation has donated $372,000 to launch Variety Village’s Revitalization Endowment. The creation of the endowment will ensure Variety Village will have sustainable funding well into the future.

“We have been long-term supporters of Variety Village,” said John McNeil, Executive Director of The Grocery Foundation. “We are confident that by stepping up in a major way again, we can help put Variety on the road to another 60 years of service to Ontario’s special needs children.”

For Variety Village to continue its operations there must be an on-going source of funds to cover costs that reach more than $2 million per year. This includes the maintenance of a fully accessible facility designed for adaptive recreation and learning. The Grocery Foundation’s establishing gift will be the basis for creating the Variety Village Revitalization Endowment, which hopes to raise $10 million to ensure annual income to cover the considerable facility costs. Without the immediate creation of the endowment, Variety Village could close its doors by spring of 2009.

This award recognizes the corporation or foundation that stands out for its level of leadership in supporting ProAction Cops & Kids via financial contributions or in-kind donations.

The Grocery Foundation stepped forward as a leading financial supporter of ProAction Cops & Kids. Their multi-year pledge of $330,000 in 2007-08 will help support ProAction’s growth in Toronto and their expansion into new areas.

ProAction is very grateful to the Grocery Foundation for their leadership in setting the pace for others and for their commitment to police-run programs for youth at risk.

How to Apply

Contact the number below for an application by June 1, 2006 OR through our website:

www.ymcatoronto.org

All selected participants will be contacted by June 15, 2006

YMCA/The Grocery Foundation Program: 905-943-9622 ext. 350

The Grocery Foundation and seven
YMCA and one YMCA-YWCA Associations across Ontario,
through the leadership of the YMCA of Greater Toronto have partnered together to assist children regardless of economic circumstances to have the opportunity to enjoy a YMCA Day
Camp experience this summer at a YMCA Day Camp location across Ontario.
The Grocery Foundation is a charitable foundation that began 26 years ago and is made up of a group of retailers, manufacturers and food brokers. The Grocery Foundation‘s mission is to provide funding for Ontario children who are physically, intellectually or
economically challenged. Over the past year The Grocery Foundation has supported over 20 organizations that are focused on bettering the lives of children.
The YMCA is a recognized charity that has been offering
children day camp experiences for the past 59 years. The YMCA believes that camp is a place where children are able to develop independence and self confidence and build friendships that last a lifetime. Camp is a natural environment, in which children learn teamwork and leadership skills in a small group setting that fosters personal growth.
Through The Grocery Foundation and YMCA
Day Camp program, 1800 children
will be provided with a day
camp experience this summer.

The Grocery Foundation & Ontario Food Banks
"Looking After Our Kids"

Grocery Industry Province-Wide Food Bank Drive Thanksgiving 2002 (update)



Through The Grocery Foundation , the charitable foundation of the Ontario grocery industry, the largest ever food drive to help Ontario food banks was launched last Thanksgiving, 2002.

The Grocery Foundation , together with the Ontario Association of food Banks (OAFB) launched the first Provincial food and donation drive linking 1,000 member food stores with over 750 community food banks on a regional trading area basis.

Virtually every major grocery store in Ontario ran a full-page ad in their Thanksgiving flyer promoting the drive for Ontario food banks and the 20 MOST NEEDED PRODUCTS. In most cases, the most needed products had special in-store pricing for the three-week food drive period.

Donation coupons were placed throughout the stores, giving customers the opportunity to donate money instead of food. This was a huge success raising in excess of $400,000.

This money was collected and distributed to all the participating food banks throughout Ontario, which resulted in enabling food banks to replenish their food stocks between the Christmas and Easter drives.

"On behalf of Community Care, I would like to thank you for the recent funds that were
sent to us. We are very happy to be the recipient of the proceeds from the Thanksgiving donation coupon program and pleased to see that the contributions from the local people have remained in our community."

Betty-Lou Souter, CEO
Community Care Of West Niagara
Beamsville, Ontario

"Thank you for your generous contribution to the Manna Food Bank. Through your
efforts and our community as a whole, we were able to provide assistance to approximately 5500 people in the past year."

Jim Brown, Treasurer
Manna Food Bank
Bracebridge, Ontario

Douglas H. Cameron, Treasurer
Orillia & District Food Bank
Orillia, Ontario

"What a thrill it was to receive two cheques from you recently - proceeds of local coupons that customers could purchase at the checkout during the province wide food drive. On behalf of Kawartha Food Share and those in need of emergency food in our community, I would like to thank you - not only for the cheques, but also for organizing this particular food drive and getting grocery retailers on board. The large colourful food drive boxes were handsomely and creatively designed and "stood out" which prompted customers to purchase items to put in the boxes. The coupons at check out really seemed to go over well also."

Ed Jaquith, Corporate Secretary/Treasurer
Kawartha Food Share
Peterborough, Ontario

The Grocery Foundation is delighted to announce its new partnership with the Bloorview MacMillan Children’s Centre with a lead-donor commitment of $5 million dollars to the new Capital Campaign.As Ontario’s largest facility for young people with disabilities and special needs, Bloorview specializes in family-centred rehabilitation and habilitation, advocacy, education and research.About 6,000 children and young people with disabilities and special needs from Toronto and across Ontario benefit from the outpatient clinics, hospital and respite care, assistive technology services and community outreach program.The new Bloorview MacMillan Children’s Centre will be a remarkable facility, with state-of-the-art accessibility features.All hospital and clinical services will be brought together in one location. Families will enjoy less travel and easier access to all services. A compact, five-store facility with elevators will make it easy for children with disabilities and their families to get around.Outdoor space will be used for playgrounds and therapeutic programs and be shared with the community.The main floor will house the Bloorview MacMillan Children’s Centre School, a comprehensive family and community Resource Centre and library, and an Education Centre. Clinical rehabilitation programs will be on the second floor, and 24-hour client care will be located on the third floor. As well, family accommodation and administrative services will be located on the fifth floor.

Construction is scheduled to being in 2003 and is expected to be completed in 2005.