Let’s give together to make a lasting impact on communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast!

Nov 30, 2020

A healthy meal, a safe place to call home, and opportunities for kids to grow and learn – these most basic of needs are out of reach for too many Canadians, now more than ever.

According to Imagine Canada’s Sector Monitor report, in May, almost 75% of Canadian charities reported a decline in donations, and total revenues dropped by a third, on average. Here at Rogers, we are committed to partnering with organizations supporting vulnerable Canadians living with food insecurity, homelessness, domestic violence and children and youth at risk.

Giving comes in many ways, big and small – and when we give together, we can make amazing things happen. That’s why on this Giving Tuesday, we want to connect Canadians to the charitable organizations that need your support. By leaning in together, we can help those who need it the most:

Food Banks Canada

Food Banks Canada is a national charitable organization dedicated to helping Canadians living with food insecurity by supporting over 3,000 food banks and community agencies that work at the local level to relieve hunger.

The COVID-19 impact: Throughout COVID-19, food insecurity is on the rise and the demand on food banks in Canada has never been higher, but the supply has never been lower. At Rogers, we lent our support by clearing the field at Rogers Centre and turning it into Canada’s largest food pantry where our team of volunteers packed over eight million meals in food hampers for Canadians in need, in addition to donating one million more meals through donations.

How you can give back:
- Monetary donations: With a 50% increase in Food Banks users, the demand has never been greater. Donating just one dollar will provide two meals for those in need.
- Food donations: By dropping food off at your local food bank, you can help ensure families, seniors and children struggling with food insecurity will have access to nourishing food.

Check out www.foodbankscanada.ca to learn more on how you can help.

Women’s Shelter’s Canada

Women’s Shelters Canada (WSC) is a network of 14 provincial and territorial shelter associations representing over 450 shelters across Canada. WSC works as a unified voice to collaborate, educate, and innovate for systemic change to end violence against women, making Canada a model for safety across the world.

The COVID-19 impact: During COVID-19, close quarters, isolation, financial instability and substance abuse has increased the demand for domestic violence support, while there are fewer beds, longer waitlists and fewer volunteers available due to emergency shelter health protocols. At Rogers, we’ve supported women in crisis during this time by donating hundreds of phones and wireless plans to women’s shelters across Canada, while helping spread awareness about sheltersafe.ca through an awareness campaign across our national network of Rogers Sports & Media channels.

How you can give back:
- Use your social media for good: You can help women in your community by sharing sheltersafe.ca, the Women’s Shelters Canada digital map that was designed as a tool for women to seek out women’s shelter locations. Through this simple action, you could be connecting someone in need to safety.
- Donate today: Donations will help increase shelter capacity to provide key services to women and children fleeing violence and abuse, increased training for shelter workers, and more.

Visit sheltersafe.ca to learn more on how you can help.

Big Brothers Big Sisters

With many children and youth in Canada struggling with societal barriers and facing adversities in their lives, they risk not having the opportunity to live up to their full potential. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada is comprised of member agencies across more than 1,100 communities across Canada, with over 20,000 volunteers who mentor children and young people to help them become their best selves.

The COVID-19 impact: With limited in-person interactions and fewer volunteers, at-risk youth now have fewer opportunities to participate in drop-in activities or mentorship sessions, and in-school mentorship programs are declining as children are now learning in a number of different ways during COVID-19. At Rogers, we connected hundreds of “Littles” and “Bigs” by donating devices and plans to Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada to help keep “Littles” connected.

How you can give back:
- Become a mentor: By becoming a “Big” and matching with a “Little”, giving just four hours a month, even virtually, through mentorship is invaluable and will help ensure the “Littles” are reminded they can be anything they dream of being.

Visit bigbrothersbigsisters.ca to learn more on how you can help.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people each and every day in over 400 communities across Canada and more than 130 countries around the world. The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, like substance-use recovery, jobs and skills training, homeless and women’s shelters, food insecurity, emergency disaster services and more.

The COVID-19 impact: The impacts of COVID-19 have resulted in increased usage on the important services provided by Salvation Army, without the necessary increase in volunteers or funding to provide these services. With donations on the decline as a result of the pandemic, this year the Rogers LTE-M network will power The Salvation Army Canada’s signature Christmas Kettle Campaign, allowing Canadians to “tap to give” using a credit card or smartphone to donate to the kettle for the first time.

How you can give back:
- Make your money count: Donating virtually through The Salvation Army Canada website or tap to donate during the 2020 Christmas Kettle Campaign to help the Salvation Army continue to support critical services for Canada’s most vulnerable.

Visit salvationarmy.ca to learn more on how you can help

Today is a day to celebrate giving back, and this past year has pushed us to double down on our commitment to supporting Canadians across the country. While many people long to get back to a normal that once was, we want to get back to something better for our country – something we can achieve for everyone when we give together.