Amazon Delivers Support for Children’s Future
If 2020 was an unprecedented year, 2021 has presented its own unique set of challenges for children and families across Canada. Each morning, 1 in 3 children still risks going to school on an empty stomach, which represents nearly 2 million children. Given the ongoing crisis, we are grateful to the companies that have stepped up to help address urgent needs.
Since December 2020, Breakfast Club of Canada (BCC) welcomed a new partner when Amazon Canada pledged an initial gift of $750,000 over a three years period. They immediately set out to go even further during the holiday season, donating an additional $500,000 to provide 250,000 breakfasts to Canadian children.
BCC is also grateful to be one of five Canadian charities invited to participate in Amazon Canada’s recent employee donation match program, in which the company matched 100% of employee donations resulting in an additional $150,000 for the Club.
All told, in 2020 alone, Amazon contributed close to $1 million to Breakfast Club of Canada, when their support was needed most. “Amazon cares deeply about the communities where our customers and employees live and work, and we share the Breakfast Club of Canada’s commitment to ensuring that children have the proper nutrition to get the most out of their school day. This national partnership will complement the local-level child nutrition and food relief programs we support in many Canadian communities, and we know that we can make a tremendous difference by working together,” said Jesse Dougherty, Amazon VP.
In response to COVID-19, Amazon has made a priority to support communities, employees, and partners across the country. The company’s commitment to hunger and homelessness – through its Right Now Needs Fund – is longstanding and transcends borders: Amazon is a dedicated supporter of causes like No Kid Hungry in the United States and Magic Breakfast in the United Kingdom.
In Canada, it also supports Vancouver child hunger charity Backpack Buddies and has donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, Food Banks Alberta, Winnipeg Harvest, The Daily Bread Food Bank, True North Aid and Food Banks of Quebec, among others.
It truly takes a village to support children’s nutrition, and this is a step that will allow youth to start with the best chances. Breakfast Club of Canada is looking forward to keep working closely with Amazon in 2021 and beyond, to ensure that more children start the school day with a nutritious meal and an equal chance at success.
