When McCain approached Second Harvest in 2021 to share its new goal of ensuring environmental compliance across McCain’s supply chain and sustainable practices with its customers, consumers, and employees, our team was thrilled. We knew right away that we would do big things together—and we truly have. McCain’s focus on meal donation, improving lives in the community, and volunteering aligns with our own vision of No Waste, No Hunger.
McCain Moves Mountains of Food Rescue in Canada
McCain is a long-time supporter of Second Harvest, having donated millions of pounds of food since 2005 that we’ve redistributed to our partner agencies. In June 2022, McCain has an upcoming volunteer week with Second Harvest to help with food sorting and our major annual culinary event, Toronto Taste.
They have also been big supporters of our Hero Campaign since 2007 and deepened their support this year when they rolled out their own Hero Campaign nationally. In recent years, McCain was prepared to donate large quantities of food and to do so more regularly. So in 2021, Second Harvest formally launched our Food Rescue Program with McCain Foods, which connected McCain locations to our network of partners with Second Harvest’s Food Rescue App.
In November 2021, the Second Harvest team conducted a training session with over 60 McCain staff across the country. This included a live demonstration of the Second Harvest Food Rescue app, up to 18 McCain’s locations donated over 68,574 pounds of frozen foods to four agency partners in three provinces. Outstanding teamwork!
As of May 2022, McCain has donated 247,921 pounds of nourishing baked goods, snacks, and prepared foods to 11 non-profit agency partners across six provinces. They also contributed 290,000 pounds of raw potatoes to our Surplus Potato Project.
McCain’s Turn the Tables on Hunger Impactful Campaign
In early 2022, McCain launched an impactful cause campaign called Turn the Tables on Hunger. During the campaign period (January – March 2022), McCain donated one dollar to Second Harvest for every case of fries purchased by its customers. McCain continued to “turn the tables on hunger” during National Volunteer week in April, where its employees engaged in virtual volunteering for Second Harvest at McCain locations across Canada.
The campaign was a super success. Not only did they raise their goal of $125,000 to deliver 300,000 meals to families in need, they also effectively engaged with McCain employees and customers. Some volunteers were artists who shared heartfelt messages on decorative lunch bags for Second Harvest’s Feeding our Future program. (This Second Harvest program prepares healthy lunch bags and takeaway kits for families and kids during summer camp.)
We are incredibly grateful to McCain’s employees and volunteers who contributed their time, talent, and gifts in support of Second Harvest’s food rescue programs. Thank you!
The Second Harvest Family
Second Harvest is endlessly grateful for the generosity of all of its incredible supporters, such as McCain, who provide food, funds, and services to help ensure that no one goes hungry when there is more than enough food to go around.
