SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BHP and the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre (SFBLC) are pleased to announce a $500,000 donation from BHP to SFBLC’s Plant Possibility Campaign. The donation will support a new food warehouse and learning campus, as the SFBLC expands to meet the city’s increasing need for safe, affordable and nutritious food. Poverty and hunger are overwhelming realities for the people turning to the SFBLC each month. In the last ten years, Saskatoon’s food bank has increased from 12,000 to as many as 23,000 people served each month, 40 per cent of which are children.
SFBLC currently operates out of inefficient, aging buildings that require expensive upgrades to operate more effectively. Patch-work repairs have been made over recent years, but SFBLC can no longer delay the need to find a new and functional home and have turned to the community to help raise the funds for an expanded space and purpose-built operations tailored to the communities’ needs.
BHP’s half a million-dollar investment will help the SFBLC to transform the model of service delivery in our community. It will go towards optimizing operations, increase the quality and quantity of healthy foods available, expand food distribution and allow the SFBLC to serve all 36 food banks in the province.
“BHP’s investment will have a transformative impact, today and tomorrow by ensuring hungry people will be fed,” said Laurie O’Connor, Executive Director of SFBLC. “Together we are shifting what is possible, and we thank you for your belief in what we do and for your support — a true reflection of the spirit, resilience, and values of Saskatchewan people.”
"We’ve all felt the rising costs of living, and the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre provides important access to healthy, nutritious food and vital support services that help people get back on their feet, allowing them to not only survive, but thrive," said Karina Gistelinck, Asset President Potash. “Through our investment, BHP is thrilled to support the new food warehouse as well as innovative employment and nutritional education programs that support long-term positive outcomes.”
Since 2015, BHP has contributed over $50 million to community organizations and initiatives in Saskatchewan. These contributions are driven by BHP’s fundamental belief that success is achieved through community partnerships that create lasting mutual benefit.
ABOUT SASKATOON FOOD BANK & LEARNING CENTRE
The Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre is committed to ensuring a food secure community where all people have access to safe, affordable, and nutritious food and believe it’s important to address the underlying issues contributing to hunger and poverty in our community. The Learning Centre offers various learning, self-help, and life skills programs that are supportive of learning needs and aspirations within a family-oriented, empowering, and self-directed environment.
ABOUT BHP
BHP is a global resources company with its Canadian operational headquarters in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and global business development headquarters in Toronto. BHP has a global workforce of approximately 80,000 people working in locations across Canada, Australia, Asia, the UK, US and Latin America. BHP produces commodities essential for global decarbonization, economic development and food security including copper, nickel, iron ore, metallurgical coal and is developing the Jansen potash project in Saskatchewan, Canada. Further information on BHP can be found at: bhp.com
MEDIA INQUIRIES
Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre
Laurie O’Connor
Executive Director
Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre
306.370.6998
BHP
Megan Hjulfors
Media Relations
BHP
403.605.2314
