A charitable project in Kingston, Ont., is offering $500,000 in free groceries to those who have lost their income or had it affected due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The Davies Charitable Foundation has spearheaded Kingston’s Friends Feeding Friends project in partnership with the Partners in Mission Food Bank, No Frills supermarkets and many Kingston philanthropists to provide over $500,000 in grocery gift cards to those who have been put out of work due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
According to Dr. Gregory Davies, the idea came to him two weeks ago to try to help get funds to Kingstonians who were directly impacted by the work shortages caused by the pandemic.
Davies said the City of Kingston has estimated anywhere from 30,000 to 40,000 have been left with no income.
Davies said the financial support from the federal government is helpful, but he and others in the city wanted to give help to locals now before the federal funds kick in.
The new program will allow employers to offer $100 gift cards for No Frills to their employees who are unable to work.
Davies says No Frills has offered the gift cards at a discounted price.
Right now, Davies says the project has raised enough money to buy 5,500 gift cards, which will be doled out by the Partners in Mission Food Bank to affected employers.
Although Davies was blown away by the funds raised by the project’s financial partners and the work of the volunteers who quickly made the project a reality, he’s hoping others in Kingston who have the financial capability to donate will help so that the program can keep supporting the thousands in need in the region.
Davies also noted the foundation is prepared to help other communities duplicate the program in their municipalities.
Along with the partners listed above, the following local organizations have signed on to help financially:
- Homestead Land Holdings
- The Larry Gibson Foundation
- The W.J. Henderson Foundation
- The Linda Ann Daly and Walter Fenlon Foundation
- The Anna and Edward C. Churchill Foundation
- The Dr. Samuel Robinson Charitable Foundation
- The Abramsky family
- B’nai Brith Lodge 1191 Kingston.
The Davies Foundation also highlighted the following politicians and businesses who helped bring the project to life:
- Lightbody Marketing, which helped to set up the website
- The Community Foundation for Kingston and Area
- Avenue Strategy
- Jumphost
- Flaherty McCarthy LLP
- Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson
- The City of Kingston
- Ian Arthur, MPP for Kingston and the Islands
Employers can register their employees in financial distress at the Partners in Mission Food Bank website.
To donate to the program, visit the Kingston’s Friends Feeding Friends website.