St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will receive half of a $2-million donation, thanks to Jewelers Mutual’s ‘Band Together’ campaign.
The Memphis, Tenn., hospital shares the donation with Habitat for Humanity and Feeding America/Food Banks Canada, which will be gifted $700,000 and $300,000, respectively.
From July 11 to 31, people across Canada and the United States cast ballots for their favourite of the three non-profits. Each was to be given a portion of the $2 million based on the number of votes it received.
“What an incredible and humbling honour to be voted to receive $1 million from Jewelers Mutual’s ‘Band Together’ campaign and to be included with the remarkable work of Habitat for Humanity and Feeding America/Food Banks Canada,” said Richard Shadyac Jr., president and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
“The support of Jewelers Mutual Insurance and everyone who voted help ensure families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, and food because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.”
Jewelers Mutual president and CEO Scott Murphy said the response from voters was positive.
“Jewelers Mutual heard from longtime customers, but also from those who’d never heard of us before,” he said. “And everyone was excited to band together and help us provide the biggest gift in our company’s history.”
Jewelers Mutual board member Alex Barcados of C.D. Barcados in Toronto presented a cheque for $51,000 U.S. ($66,000 Cdn.) to Food Banks Canada on behalf of the insurer. The donation will provide 195,000 meals across Canada.
“It was great to see how passionate and energized the whole Jewelers Mutual team was to run such a successful campaign, and how it was embraced by Food Banks Canada and its supporters,” Barcados said. “The ‘Band Together’ campaign grew out of Jewelers Mutual being a mutual company and wanting to share in and support what is important to our policyholders. That is one part of what makes Jewelers Mutual such a special company and what drives it every day. It is an honour for me to present the cheque in support of the great work being done by Food Banks Canada.”
Pam Jolliffe, executive director at Food Banks Canada, said the organization was honoured to co-represent the hunger cause alongside Feeding America.
“Hunger has been a long-standing issue across North America, and we are appreciative of the efforts of Jewelers Mutual to not only raise public awareness, but also donate significant funds to support our work. These funds will be invested to support food acquisition and sharing with our food bank network across Canada to ensure Canadians in need have access to essential food.”
