“Give and take out” hunger this Giving Tuesday with SkipTheDishes

Canadians can help Skip to provide critically needed food and personal hygiene items in our communities

F ood insecurity in our communities has surged with the highest rates of general inflation in 40 years – and the cost of essentials such as food, shelter, and transportation have soared at even higher rates. This has led to food bank usage reaching the highest levels in Canadian history, as everyday families and individuals struggle with affordable access to food and household items. To answer this unprecedented demand, Canada’s homegrown food delivery network, SkipTheDishes, has joined forces with Food Banks Canada for its fourth consecutive year to give back in our communities and “take out” hunger this Giving Tuesday.

Here’s how it works: this Giving Tuesday, from November 28 until December 1, Canadians can simply head to Skip Express Lane (via the website or SkipTheDishes mobile app) and add a Give Box to their cart, at no extra cost, at checkout. Skip will then make a donation to Food Banks Canada on your behalf, which will cover the cost of the top ten items identified as most in need, up to a total donation of $100,000.

As an added bonus, if you’re among the first 500 customers to add a Give Box to your cart on Skip Express Lane, you’ll receive a limited-edition, reusable tote designed by acclaimed Canadian artist and food insecurity advocate Briony Douglas, featuring the items that are most in need. According to Food Banks Canada, these items include: pasta and pasta sauces, canned fish and meats, canned beans and soups, canned fruits and vegetables, meat alternatives, dairy products, rice and whole grain cereals, infant foods and formula, bathroom tissue and diapers and personal hygiene products.

In addition, customers can make a donation directly through the Food Banks Canada website on November 28 and SkipTheDishes will match contributions up to a total of $100,000.

For Melanie Fatouros-Richardson, Vice President of Communications and Government Relations at SkipTheDishes, the rationale behind this campaign was simple: “In the face of food insecurity reaching record highs, we understand the important role that SkipTheDishes can play in giving back in our communities,” she says. “Through campaigns like this, we’re asking for Canadians’ continued support to join us in our fight to take out hunger together, because no one deserves to go hungry.”

GROWING FOOD INSECURITY IN CANADA

The HungerCount report, produced by Food Banks Canada, showed almost 2 million visits to food banks across Canada in March 2023 alone, representing a 32 per cent increase yearover-year compared to March 2022, and a 78.5 per cent increase over the last four years, when compared to March 2019. This represents the highest year-over-year increase in usage ever reported – made more alarming by the fact that one-third of the visitors were children.

“Since the start of the pandemic, households with children have been more likely to experience food insecurity, and there has been a substantial increase in two-parent households with children under 18 accessing food banks—from 18.8 per cent in 2019 to 21 per cent in 2023,” notes the Food Banks Canada Report. “Food bankers mentioned that families with children are struggling with the combination of high housing, food, and fuel costs, in addition to the costs of childcare and other childspecific needs.”

With this in mind, the ongoing partnership between Food Banks Canada and SkipTheDishes has become increasingly important given today’s challenging times. By leveraging its extensive network and resources to support Food Banks Canada’s mission, Skip’s partnership through this campaign ensures that essential food items currently in high demand reach those in need in a timely and efficient way.

A DEMONSTRATED COMMITMENT TO CANADA

The 2023 Giving Tuesday campaign marks the fourth consecutive year of partnership between SkipTheDishes and Food Banks Canada. In that time, the company has provided more than 4.7 million meals to families in need across Canada, as well as monthly food donations to local food banks from its Skip Express Lane locations across the country.

As a leading online food delivery network, SkipTheDishes is committed to using its business as a force for good. Over the years, Skip has worked hard to empower and support employees, strengthen the local communities it operates in, and create meaningful partnerships with organizations such as the United Way, Pride organizations across the country and, of course, Food Banks Canada. To learn more about how Skip is giving back, head to www.skipthedishes.com/ responsible-business.