Winnipeg, MB – ACU has committed $100,000 to Harvest Manitoba’s capital campaign to build a Manitoba Food Transformation Centre.
Operating from its warehouse in Winnipeg, Harvest Manitoba coordinates food collection and distribution through a network of over 400 partner agencies serving urban centres, rural communities, northern regions and First Nations. This province-wide system efficiently moves food to where it is needed most.
The Manitoba Food Transformation Centre will allow the organization to process, preserve and prepare surplus food, a significant step beyond redistribution. The goal is simple: rescue more usable food and make it available in forms that better meet community needs.
The Manitoba Food Transformation Centre represents exactly the kind of community-driven innovation ACU is proud to support,” said Kevin Sitka, President and CEO, Assiniboine Credit Union. “By helping Harvest Manitoba rescue more food, reduce waste, and distribute nutritious options more efficiently across the province, this project will strengthen food security for communities today while building a more sustainable system for the future.”
This donation coincides with the Food Transformation Centre receiving a $100,000 “Empowering Your Community” grant from Concentra and EQ Bank. In the spirit of co-operation that defines the credit union system, we and our friends at Access Credit Union had applied for the grant on behalf of Manitoba Harvest. Watch the Concentra / EQ Bank video awards announcement.
“More than 60,000 Manitobans rely on a food bank each month, and we all need to work together to create a more sustainable way to feed our neighbours for years to come,” said Vince Barletta, President & CEO, Harvest Manitoba. “We are incredibly grateful to ACU and Concentra for investing in Manitobans and helping to move this transformative project forward.”
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About Harvest Manitoba
Harvest Manitoba (“Harvest”) is a charitable organization dedicated to nourishing our communities and our sense of community so that no Manitoban goes hungry. We collect 13 million pounds of food every year, which is sorted and packed largely by volunteers into Harvest Hampers and distributed to Manitobans through our Community Food Network of more than 400 food banks and agencies in Winnipeg, rural, northern and First Nations communities. Right now, we feed over 50,000 Manitobans who rely on using a food bank every month, and nearly half are children. Our Food Distribution Centre, which includes our Emergency Food Support Assistance Line and Warehouse, are in our Winnipeg Headquarters. To learn more or donate, please visit: HarvestManitoba.ca.
About ACU
Assiniboine Credit Union (ACU) is a financial co-operative with $10.1 billion in assets that is locally owned by over 216,000 Manitobans. Our workforce includes nearly 1000 Manitobans, who are also member-owners. We have the widest geographical distribution of branches of any financial co-operative in Manitoba. As a certified B Corp, ACU serves its member-owners and operates on Treaty One, Treaty Two and Treaty Five lands, the homeland of the Anishinaabeg, Anisininew, Assiniboine, Dakota Oyate, Denesuline, Inninew and Saulteaux. We acknowledge the Inuit in Northern Manitoba and that Manitoba is the homeland of the Red River Métis.
To learn more about ACU visit www.acu.ca.