- $10 million global donation to help feed communities includes employee matching
TORONTO, Canada – RBC, RBC Foundation® and RBC Foundation USA announced they are committing $10 million globally to support organizations that are addressing food insecurity in communities, as part of its ambition to address growing inequality. As part of its Purpose Framework, RBC aims to support inclusive opportunities for prosperity, improving the wellbeing and resilience of its communities. This donation announcement forms part of a commitment of $2 billion toward community investment by 2035.
“Strengthening our communities is at the heart of everything we do. Today, the world is navigating challenging times and our role in giving back has never been more important,” said Andrea Barrack, SVP, Sustainability & Impact, RBC. “Food security is a growing need and a critical foundation to a thriving community, and we need broader solutions that help meet the needs of today and tomorrow through food storage, supply and distribution solutions, community support and farming innovation.”
RBCers have a long history of supporting their communities, whether it’s generously donating time, skills or other resources. To support RBC’s commitment to help address food insecurity, RBC employees can also get involved through internal programs to match their donations and volunteer with local community partners focusing on food security.
Organizations receiving the funding are in Canada, the US and the UK, and include: Ottawa Community Foundation, Food Banks Canada, Food Banks of Saskatchewan, Fresh Routes, Harvest Manitoba, World Central Kitchen, FareShare in the UK, among others.
“Canada is in the midst of a food security crisis, and addressing it requires community-level systemic change. Thanks to catalytic investment from RBC, in partnership with the Ottawa Community Foundation, we are launching long-term, sustainable, and resilient local food initiatives in communities across Canada. The initial project with the Ottawa Mission helps grow fresh greens year-round for their food programs while equipping individuals with hands-on farming training. Other Canadian communities are using this project as a template to replicate, fostering public-private-community collaboration to deliver impact and build more resilient communities,” said Corey Ellis, co-founder and CEO, Growcer.
These single and multi-year community investments come at a time when charities and not-for-profit organizations need more support than ever. According to Feed Opportunity, 8.7 million Canadians experienced food insecurity in 2023, a 26 percent increase from the previous year. The funding is also part of broader efforts at RBC to support inclusive opportunities for prosperity, including financial wellbeing and skill-building.
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