In advance of Giving Tuesday on November 29, Aviva Canada has announced that it will be donating funds to causes involved in diversity and inclusion (D&I), as well as to a charity organization involved in providing food security.
A company release explained that the insurer will be donating a total of $435,000 – $200,000 will go to Food Banks Canada, while the remaining $235,000 will support charitable partnerships that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion across the country.
A report from Food Banks Canada found that food bank usage across the country has risen 15% from March 2021, with nearly 1.5 million visits in March 2022. Aviva’s $200,000 donation will be used to provide nutritious meals for Food Banks Canada’s programs. Specifically, the funds will be evenly distributed to the Food for All Initiative, the Northern Initiative, the Markham Food Bank and Moisson Montreal programs.
Meanwhile, the $235,000 donation will be spread across nine charitable organizations. One of the organizations to receive this infusion is the YWCA's Work Forward initiative, where $50,000 will be used to support the design and delivery of new training and resource materials for women and gender-diverse people. The funding will also be used to create space for employers to learn more about how to design gender-responsive and equitable workplaces.
"At Aviva Canada, we're committed to building a stronger and more inclusive Canada – at the workplace and in the communities we live,” said Aviva Canada CEO Jason Storah. “It's incredible to see our people come together, to live our values of care, commitment and community - whether it's helping vulnerable Canadians during these trying times or advancing D&I initiatives for a better tomorrow."
Aviva also announced that on top of the donations, it will collect food donations across all its offices to support local food banks, and will triple-match donations made by its employees to eligible causes until the end of the year.
Aviva Canada’s donation to Food Banks Canada comes just as Ecclesiastical Insurance also this week announced that it was supporting the charity with its food security initiatives. Ecclesiastical’s employees will be providing over 175,000 food packs to children across Canada as part of Food Banks Canada’s After the Bell program.
