• Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada renews partnership with Food Banks Canada
• Mitsubishi dealers collecting food and making donations in local communities
• Totals to be announced on World Food Day, Monday, Oct. 16
MISSISSAUGA, ON, September 14, 2023 – As food insecurity continues to rise in Canadian communities of all sizes, Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada (MMSCAN) is once again partnering with Food Banks Canada and dozens of local food banks from coast to coast to coast for its Driving Healthy Change campaign.
Food Banks Canada data shows there has been a 35 per cent increase in food bank traffic across the country since 2019, and that one in four people said they ate less than they felt they should because there wasn’t enough money for food. Over the past two years, MMSCAN and its dealers have donated more than $300,000 to Food Banks Canada and local food banks. However, considering the escalating need, MMSCAN has committed to increase its corporate donation to Food Banks Canada, while a record number of Canadian Mitsubishi dealers have signed on and committed to donating funds and collecting food for local food banks.
“We continue to see stories in the news about food insecurity and the rising cost of groceries,” said MMSCAN President and CEO Kenji Harada. “Together with our dealer partners, we are committed to supporting the communities around us that we live and work in. This is a foundational pillar of Mitsubishi Motors around the world.”
Erin Filey-Wronecki, Food Banks Canada’s Chief Development and Partnerships Officer, said food banks are “moving into uncharted territory with food bank usage increasing at rates not observed since the aftermath of the 2008 recession.”
“As the cost of living continues to rise, we must look out for our most vulnerable neighbours. Food Banks Canada cannot do this alone. We are grateful for leaders like Mitsubishi and their ongoing support through the upcoming Driving Healthy Change food and fundraising efforts,” she said.
This year’s Driving Healthy Change campaign will see local dealers collecting donations of food and funds from Monday, Sept. 18 to Saturday, Sept. 30. Participating dealers are taking on a variety of initiatives during the campaign, such as hosting food drives at local grocery stores and donating money for each vehicle sold during the period. The donations will be delivered to local food banks between Monday, Oct. 2 and Friday, Oct. 6 in advance of the Thanksgiving weekend.
In addition to making a corporate donation, employees at MMSCAN’s headquarters in Mississauga will also be collecting food and volunteering with The Mississauga Food Bank.
MMSCAN and the local dealers will announce the donation totals on World Food Day Monday, Oct. 16.
About Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada, Inc.
Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada (MMSCAN) is the sales, service, parts and marketing arm for Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors with 96 dealerships across the country. The 2023 product range includes the Mirage sub-compact car, RVR sub-compact crossover, Eclipse Cross compact sport utility and Outlander/Outlander PHEV compact sport utility, which won the AJAC Best Mid-Size Utility Vehicle in Canada Award for 2023. MMSCAN supports its dealerships with a head office team and parts distribution centre, both located in Mississauga, Ontario. Established in 2002, MMSCAN and its dealerships employ more than 1,200 people in communities large and small. For more information on Mitsubishi vehicles in Canada, please visit mitsubishi-motors-pr.ca
About Food Banks Canada
Food Banks Canada provides national leadership to relieve hunger today and prevent hunger tomorrow in collaboration with the food bank network from coast-to-coast-to-coast. For 40 years, food banks have been dedicated to helping Canadians living with food insecurity. Over 4,750 food banks and community organizations come together to serve our most vulnerable neighbours who in March of last year made nearly 1.5 million visits to these organizations, according to our 2022 HungerCount Report. Over the past 10 years, as a system we’ve sourced and shared over 1.4 billion pounds of food and Food Banks Canada shared nearly $168 million in funding to help maximize collective impact and strengthen local capacity – while advocating for reducing the need for food banks. Our vision is clear: create a Canada where no one goes hungry. Visit foodbankscanada.ca to learn more.
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