Costco Takes a Stand for the Children

09.09.2021
3 mins read
Team picture Costco

As we continue to live through an unpredictable period, the Costco warehouse chain is once again stepping up as a major partner of Breakfast Club of Canada’s Back-to-School campaign this year.

This is a great way for Costco to make a difference and help nurture the potential of children by giving them an equal opportunity to succeed. “Costco started to be involved in the community in its early years. We are committed in our support of charitable activities in the communities where we operate, particularly with initiatives related to children, in the areas of health, welfare and education, as well as families in need, “said Benoit Louis-Seize, Manager of Benefits and Pension at Costco.

 

An essential commitment

Since the beginning of the pandemic, food insecurity has been a major issue across the country and continues to affect a great number of kids. In Canada, 1 in 3 children are at risk of going to school on an empty stomach. The success of this Back-to-School campaign is critical to be able to continue to reach the significant number of children who have benefited from breakfast programs over the past year. “Thanks to partners like Costco, the Club helps Canadian children start their school day on a full stomach,” explains Judith Barry, Co-Founder, Director of Impact and Provincial & Territorial Government Relations at Breakfast Club of Canada.

 

For 14 years now, the Club has been able to count on Costco as a valuable partner. Education and health, especially when it comes to children, are fundamental values for the company and the commitment of the employees in each of the warehouses rubs off on their customers, allowing them to offer a large number of breakfasts to Canadian children. The campaign results are shared on a daily basis between the warehouses and other businesses, which creates a friendly competition amongst the locations as all employees strive to achieve the most fundraising. Benoit Louis-Seize explains, “We also encourage them to have fun! Our employees and members are the key components. They are vital in the success of this campaign. It is our employees’ engagement that makes this successful, as they are responsible for asking every member who goes through their cash if they would like to make a donation to Breakfast Club of Canada throughout the entire campaign.”

 

Supporting future generations

Each year, with the help of members, vendors and employees, the company participates in a variety of fundraising activities and holds a fundraising campaign with the Children’s Miracle Network. It also supports the Canadian Red Cross, the Royal Canadian Legion, the Salvation Army and the United Way. Costco provides numerous university scholarships and more than 48,000 backpacks to underprivileged children across the country through its backpack program.

“We believe every child should be treated equally. They all deserve to have proper nutrition in order to be attentive and focus in class. We want children to have the opportunity to learn and achieve their goals without being distracted by an empty stomach,” says Benoit Louis-Seize. “It’s really important for us to be involved in our community, and our partnership with Breakfast Club of Canada allows us to provide concrete support for the development of future generations.”

 

Costco’s Back-to-School campaign runs until September 19, 2021 and donations can be made in 106 locations across Canada.