Latest news with #SecondHarvest
CTV News
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Shania Twain supports Canadian food banks with cross-country campaign
Shania Twain performs at the Scotiabank Saddledome during the Calgary Stampede on Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Calgary, Alberta. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP) Before Shania Twain hit the stage at the Cavendish Beach Music Festival in P.E.I. this week, she made a quiet impact behind the scenes. The country music superstar donated $25,000 to a food bank in western Prince Edward Island. As her tour rolls across Canada, she's spreading that generosity coast to coast — with the Shania Twain Foundation helping fund 375,000 meals in partnership with Second Harvest. It comes at a time when nearly 10 million Canadians — including 2.5 million children — are facing food insecurity, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada. 'I was in disbelief,' said director Jenny DesRoches, director at the West Prince Caring Cupboard. 'This donation is going to provide a lot of healthy options for the families we feed.' In Tyne Valley, one of four rural communities served by the local organization, the need is growing. 'We are starting to feel the effects of rising prices and everything is getting more expensive,' said Barb Ramsey-DesRoches, board president. 'And unfortunately, wages don't keep up.' The food bank's shelves are stocked with staples like canned and boxed goods as well as hygiene products, but fresh food is harder to come by. Shania Twain donation From left: Jenny DesRoches, West Prince Caring Cupboard Volunteer Director; Shania Twain; and Susan Trail, West Prince Caring Cupboard Volunteer. (Tessa Harri Carroll) On average, 160 families rely on the West Price Caring Cupboard each month, with more than 5,000 repeat visitors a year. The donation will help fund healthier groceries, including milk, meat and eggs. DesRoches said asking for help is often a last resort for many, but the team works hard to make the space feel safe and supportive. 'Telling people, 'Well, don't give up. Yes, you may be hitting a rough spot right now, but we'll help you through it. You're doing the right thing. You're getting healthy food for your family.'' It's a volunteer-led organization, and for many who grew up with Twain's music, the donation was a morale boost. 'Summers growing up, I dressed up like Shania Twain and said, 'Man, I feel like a woman,' and do the karaokes,' said Pamela MacKinnon, board secretary. Shania Twain Parade Marshal Shania Twain rides a horse during the Calgary Stampede parade in Calgary, Alta., Friday, July 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh Twain's donation in P.E.I. is part of a broader effort. One of her earlier stops was Calgary, where she served as parade marshal at the Stampede. She has also donated in Quebec City and Ottawa, with Toronto next, before her tour heads south for its U.S. leg.
Ottawa Citizen
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa food programs get unexpected help from Shania Twain
Article content Shania Twain will donate $25,000 to non-profit food programs in Ottawa as part of a six-figure commitment to fight food insecurity across the country. Article content Twain's charitable foundation has partnered with Second Harvest, Canada's largest food-rescue organization, to distribute $125,000 to Canadian cities along the country-pop icon's summer tour, which stops at Ottawa Bluesfest on July 13. Article content Article content 'This tour is not just about performing,' Twain said in a statement. 'It is about making sure communities have what they need and showing up with heart. At the Shania Twain Foundation, we believe everyone deserves access to nutritious food.' Article content Article content Other cities receiving $25,000 donations include Calgary, Moose Jaw, Quebec City and Toronto. The funding will support non-profit food programs in each city. Article content Additionally, another $25,000 will be donated directly to a food cupboard in Prince Edward Island, while a $15,000 gift to a Winnipeg charity will support the urgent need for cold-storage infrastructure, not only increasing emergency food capacity but also reducing spoilage. Article content Article content Twain's foundation will also make donations in the United States, supporting food banks in Montana, New York, Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Florida. Article content According to her 2011 autobiography, From This Moment On, the singer-songwriter faced her own challenges with food insecurity while growing up in Timmins. She had a difficult childhood, and was often sent to school without lunch. Article content However, thanks to the success of a three-decade-plus music career, Twain is well positioned to support young people in similar circumstances through her charitable foundation, formerly known as Kids Can.
CTV News
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Shania Twain donating $25,000 to Second Harvest in Ottawa
Shania Twain performs at the Scotiabank Saddledome during the Calgary Stampede on Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Calgary, Alberta. Canadian superstar Shania Twain is making a major donation to help feed families in need in Ottawa ahead of her Bluesfest show this month. Second Harvest says Twain is donating $25,000 through the Shania Twain Foundation, which will help the organization 'rescue and redistribute 75,000 meals' to people in the nation's capital. 'The $25,000 donation, which will be officially presented to Second Harvest at Shania Twain's concert at Ottawa Bluesfest 2025 on July 13th, demonstrates the commitment the Canadian singer makes to support the cities in which she performs,' Second Harvest said in a news release. Second Harvest is a 'food rescue' organization. According to its website, it acquires unsold surplus food from food businesses and redistributes that food to local non-profits across Canada. 'With nearly one in four households in Ottawa struggling to afford food, the need has never been greater,' said Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest in the release. 'The impact of the Shania Twain Foundation's gift will go far beyond one organization. It will enable us to rescue more food and reach more communities through our non-profit partners in Ottawa.' The Ottawa donation is part of a broader commitment Twain made to donate to Second Harvest in five Canadian cities on her summer tour. 'Strong communities are built when we take care of each other,' said Twain. 'By partnering with Second Harvest, we're making sure good food reaches the people who need it most, right here in Ottawa. No one in Canada should go hungry when there's more than enough food to go around.' According to Second Harvest, Lionhearts Inc. is one of the partners in Ottawa that will benefit from the donation. 'We're thankful for The Shania Twain Foundation's support of Second Harvest, lifting even more people 'Up!' in the communities served by Second Harvest and partner charities like ours,' said Lionhearts Operations Manager Tristan Kuracina. Ottawa Bluesfest begins Thursday. Shania Twain is the headliner on Sunday, July 13.
CTV News
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Shania Twain donating $25,000 to Second Harvest in Ottawa
Shania Twain performs at the Scotiabank Saddledome during the Calgary Stampede on Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Calgary, Alberta. Canadian superstar Shania Twain is making a major donation to help feed families in need in Ottawa ahead of her Bluesfest show this month. Second Harvest says Twain is donating $25,000 through the Shania Twain Foundation, which will help the organization 'rescue and redistribute 75,000 meals' to people in the nation's capital. 'The $25,000 donation, which will be officially presented to Second Harvest at Shania Twain's concert at Ottawa Bluesfest 2025 on July 13th, demonstrates the commitment the Canadian singer makes to support the cities in which she performs,' Second Harvest said in a news release. Second Harvest is a 'food rescue' organization. According to its website, it acquires unsold surplus food from food businesses and redistributes that food to local non-profits across Canada. 'With nearly one in four households in Ottawa struggling to afford food, the need has never been greater,' said Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest in the release. 'The impact of the Shania Twain Foundation's gift will go far beyond one organization. It will enable us to rescue more food and reach more communities through our non-profit partners in Ottawa.' The Ottawa donation is part of a broader commitment Twain made to donate to Second Harvest in five Canadian cities on her summer tour. 'Strong communities are built when we take care of each other,' said Twain. 'By partnering with Second Harvest, we're making sure good food reaches the people who need it most, right here in Ottawa. No one in Canada should go hungry when there's more than enough food to go around.' According to Second Harvest, Lionhearts Inc. is one of the partners in Ottawa that will benefit from the donation. 'We're thankful for The Shania Twain Foundation's support of Second Harvest, lifting even more people 'Up!' in the communities served by Second Harvest and partner charities like ours,' said Lionhearts Operations Manager Tristan Kuracina. Ottawa Bluesfest begins Thursday. Shania Twain is the headliner on Sunday, July 13.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shania Twain Foundation Funds 375,000 Meals to Fight Hunger Nationwide
TORONTO, June 24, 2025 /CNW/ - Shania Twain is bringing more than music to Canada this summer. As her long-awaited tour sweeps across the country, the iconic singer-songwriter is making a powerful statement offstage by funding 375,000 meals for people facing food insecurity through a major donation from the Shania Twain Foundation. "Giving back to the places that shaped me has always been part of who I am," said Shania Twain, founder of the Shania Twain Foundation. "This tour is not just about performing. It is about making sure communities have what they need and showing up with heart. At the Shania Twain Foundation, we believe everyone deserves access to nutritious food." The foundation has committed $125,000 through its national partnership with Second Harvest, Canada's largest food rescue organization, supporting local food programs in five tour cities: Calgary, Moose Jaw, Quebec City, Ottawa, and Toronto. Each region will receive $25,000 to address immediate food security needs in their communities. Additionally, the foundation is donating $25,000 directly to the West Prince Caring Cupboard in Prince Edward Island, expanding the initiative's reach to support food insecurity across multiple communities in the province. Beyond these planned initiatives, in response to Manitoba's wildfire crisis, an additional $15,000 will be donated to Make Way Charitable Society - Climate Change Connection, to support the urgent cold storage needs for emergency food rescue in Winnipeg. These funds will support cold storage infrastructure to increase emergency food hub capacity and reduce spoilage. The latest findings from Statistics Canada show that food insecurity affects 10 million Canadians, including 2.5 million children. The need for immediate relief is greater than ever. "This incredible contribution from the Shania Twain Foundation will have an immediate impact in addressing food insecurity in communities across the country," Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest said. "It's a powerful testament to Shania's deep passion for food access and her commitment to meaningful action. Thanks to the Foundation, many thousands of people will receive the nourishment they need at a time when it's needed most. We are profoundly grateful to be working together to create real, lasting change." The foundation's commitment to fighting hunger extends beyond Canadian borders. As part of Shania's North American tour, the Shania Twain Foundation is also providing direct support to food banks across the United States, including organizations in Montana, New York, Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Founded by the award-winning singer and humanitarian, the Shania Twain Foundation focuses on supporting children and families affected by poverty. Its programs emphasize food access, mental health support, and educational opportunities in underserved communities throughout North America. Shania's full Summer 2025 tour schedule can be found here. To learn more, visit and SOURCE The Shania Twain Foundation View original content to download multimedia:
