London, ON – Facing a very tough year for area social services, London’s “Business Cares” organizers are hopeful that small business owners in the area will step up to help the London and Area Food Bank’s meet its goal for the Christmas season.
Ed Holder (right), MP for London West and Co-Chair of the Business Cares Food Drive, accepts a cash donation from Robert Adeland and Mina Thaler Adeland of Marketing Strategies & Solutions on behalf of the “Business Cares” campaign for the London Food Bank.
– Photograph by Steve Grimes
London West MP Ed Holder has headed up the Business Cares campaign since its inception in 1990. He recently paid a personal visit to the offices of Marketing Strategies & Solutions, a small London-based communications firm employing eight staff, to accept a $500 donation to the campaign.
“This is huge,” Holder said outside the William Street office. “People don’t often realize how the Food Bank is able to turn cash into food. With some of their purchasing agreements, they can multiple the value as much three times over.”
Robert Adeland, President of Marketing Strategies & Solutions, appreciates the role his company can play. “They always say that small business is the engine of the economy. In these times, small business has to be the engine of the community, too. We’re glad to have ‘Business Cares’ providing a conduit for people like us to give back to our city.”
Adeland is hopeful that other small businesses in London will join his firm in taking up the “Business Cares” challenge. He feels that community initiatives such as the London Food Bank shouldn’t have to rely on large corporate donors to sustain the local quality of life. “We used to host a staff dinner at this time of year. Our employees agreed with us that the spirit of the season is better served by feeding the hungry.”
Holder acknowledges that 2012 is proving to be a difficult year for the campaign. With many traditional funders cutting back under economic pressures, he is turning to the “grass roots” of the business community for support. While people associate the Food Bank drives with collections of canned and dry foods, cash donations are also a very valuable part of the program. “Our collections through the Christmas drive keep the Food Bank operating right into April,” he explains.
The London and Area Food Bank provides emergency food to over 30,000 families and 72,000 individuals each year. Last year, Business Cares contributed 256,000 lbs. of goods to the Food Bank and set its target to exceed that amount in 2012.
Businesses can join in the effort by contacting the Business Cares Committee at 519-686-7573, or by donating online through www.businesscares.ca.
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