October 18, 2008

Purolator and CFL Reach 2 Million Pound Food Mark

TORONTO (October 18, 2008) – Purolator, the official courier of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the CFL announced today that the Purolator Tackle Hunger program has reached a historic milestone: more than two million pounds of food collected for food banks across Canada since the program’s inception in 2003.

Now approaching the end of its sixth season, the Purolator Tackle Hunger program visits each CFL community throughout the year, offering fans the opportunity to have their photo taken with the Grey Cup trophy in exchange for a non-perishable food item or cash donation. In addition to the food drives, every time a quarterback gets sacked during the regular season, Purolator donates the player’s weight in food to the local food bank where the game is being played. Throughout the year, Purolator employees and customers across Canada also participate in the program to help support their local food bank.

“This new milestone truly reflects the difference teamwork makes when it comes to tackling hunger in the community,” said Brian Meagher, Senior Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Customer Service at Purolator. “We’d like to thank the CFL teams, our employees and customers, and football fans across Canada for their dedication and contribution to this program. We’re already looking forward to another great year.”

The Purolator Tackle Hunger program’s food collection figures have steadily increased every year since the inception of the program in 2003. This year’s milestone of 2,000,000 pounds of food was reached in large part thanks to record-breaking contributions from football fans in Calgary, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Hamilton, Vancouver, Regina, Montreal, and most recently, Toronto in 2008.

“This is a great accomplishment, one that CFL fans should be very proud of,” said Mark Cohon, CFL Commissioner. “It’s always great to see our fans, teams and partners come together to make a positive difference in our communities.”

About Hunger in Canada
Hunger is a serious issue in Canada. According to Food Bank Canada’s most recent Hunger Count Report, food bank usage in Canada is on the rise, as it has not dropped below 700,000 individuals per month in the last ten years. Nearly 40 per cent of food bank clients are children.

About Purolator’s commitment to hunger
As Canada’s largest courier company with national resources of more than 12,500 employees, more than 3,000 vehicles, and the ability to reach almost every destination point in Canada, Purolator is committed to helping alleviate hunger in the communities in which it operates. As part of this commitment, Purolator works closely with its employees, customers and Food Banks Canada (formerly the Canadian Association of Food Banks) to help raise awareness about the issue of hunger and collect food for local food banks in the country. In addition to the award-winning Purolator Tackle Hunger program and the annual Purolator Tackle Hunger Week for employees, Purolator also delivers on its commitment to hunger through its sponsorship of various Canadian sports teams.  Since 2003, Purolator has helped deliver more than 2,000,000 pounds of food for food banks across Canada.