1.1 million Canadian children at risk of being unfed or underfed daily

BRAMPTON, ON, Sept. 21, 2017 /CNW/ - President's Choice^® Children's Charity, established and funded in part by Loblaw Companies Limited, today committed $150 million in fundraising and corporate support over the next decade to address childhood hunger. Supported by Loblaw's network of more than 1,100 grocery stores, millions of customers and almost 200,000 employees, the charity has become one of the largest charitable funders of school breakfast programs and will support nutrition education in communities nationwide.

"As Canada's leading grocer, with stores in most communities nationwide, we are in a unique position to bring attention, awareness, and funding to children who go unfed or underfed,"  said Galen G. Weston, CEO and Executive Chairman of Loblaw Companies Limited and former chair of PC^® Children's Charity.  "As our country embarks on its next 150 years, nothing will create better conditions for success than feeding our kids. Well-fed kids contribute more to a better Canada and we are committed to providing them with the nourishment to learn, to grow and to succeed."

PC^® Children's Charity's focus on childhood hunger and nutrition will rest on two new strategic pillars: Feed Kids Good Food through school and community programs, and partnerships with organizations that address childhood hunger; and, Feed Kids Food Knowledge by supporting food-based education programs to empower children to make healthy, responsible and better informed food choices.

"A hungry or poorly nourished child will never reach his or her full potential. In a country as prosperous as Canada, it is unacceptable that so many children are unfed or underfed daily," said Sarah Davis, Chair of PC^® Children's Charity and President of Loblaw. "PC^® Children's Charity, as one of the largest charitable funders of school nutrition programs and through partnerships with hundreds of organizations across the country, is working toward a goal to make sure all those children are well fed."

The charity recently acquired Breakfast For Learning in an effort to reach more children across the country. In 2018, PC^® Children's Charity will help feed more than 500,000 Canadian children breakfasts, snacks and lunches each day. That number will steadily increase, with a goal of closing the gap to all 1.1 million children at risk of going to school hungry. The charity will also roll out a new community fund to support local solutions, such as community kitchens or programs to educate kids about food and nutrition.

PC^® Children's Charity was founded in 1989 to help children across Canada, and since that time has granted more than $150 million, supporting more than 3.1 million children. The cost of administration and operations of the charity is funded by Loblaw, ensuring that 100 per cent of every dollar donated goes to helping kids. The charity offers funding across Canada and dollars are granted in the region in which they are raised. For more information or to donate online, visit pc.ca/charity(Open in a new tab).

About Loblaw Companies Limited Loblaw Companies Limited is Canada's food and pharmacy leader, the nation's largest retailer, and the majority unit holder of Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust. Loblaw provides Canadians with grocery, pharmacy, health and beauty, apparel, general merchandise, financial services, and wireless mobile products and services. With more than 2,400 corporate, franchised and Associate-owned locations, Loblaw, its franchisees, and Associate-owners employ approximately 200,000 full and part-time employees, making it one of Canada's largest private sector employers.

Loblaw's purpose – Live Life Well – puts first the needs and well-being of Canadians who make one billion transactions annually in the companies' stores. Loblaw is positioned to meet and exceed those needs in many ways: convenient locations; more than 1,050 grocery stores that span the value spectrum from discount to specialty; full-service pharmacies at more than 1,300 Shoppers Drug Mart^® and Pharmaprix^® locations and more than 500 Loblaw locations; PC Financial^® financial services; affordable Joe Fresh^® fashion and family apparel; and three of Canada's top consumer brands in Life Brand^®, no name^® and President's Choice^®. Through the PC Plus^® and Shoppers Optimum^® loyalty programs, more than one in every three Canadians are rewarded for shopping with the companies.

SOURCE Loblaw Companies Limited