Latest news with #WestPrinceCaringCupboard
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.
CTV News
03-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Shania feeds the need on PEI
Atlantic Watch Shania Twain donates $25k to the West Prince Caring Cupboard on Prince Edward Island.
CTV News
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Country superstar Shania Twain donates $25,000 to Prince Edward Island food bank
The Cavendish Beach Music Festival is bringing some of the biggest country stars to Prince Edward Island this summer and one of its headliners is giving back in a big way. Canadian icon Shania Twain is set to perform at the popular P.E.I. festival, but she's also helping local families in need. Through the Shania Twain Foundation, Twain is donating $25,000 to the West Prince Caring Cupboard – a food bank that's been supporting families in the region for more than 30 years. 'This donation is just out of this world,' said Barb Ramsay-Desroches, president of the board of directors for the West Prince Caring Cupboard. 'We've been in existence since 1992, and we serve a population of about 16,000 residents in West Prince.' In a statement, Twain said: 'True strength in communities comes from looking out for one another. No one should have to go without the food they deserve, and together, we can make sure that doesn't happen.' Festival organizers say the country superstar's generosity reflects the spirit of the event and the community it draws together every summer. 'People were excited to see Shania before… and I think now even more,' said Ben Murphy, CEO of Whitecap Entertainment. 'Anytime an artist gets involved with the community is so amazing and Shania doing it at such a level is even more meaningful.' The Caring Cupboard says the donation will help stock fresh food items they often can't keep on the shelves – including milk, cheese and bread. 'It's going to be a big boost to be able to go shopping and add those extra items in for our families,' said Ramsay-Desroches. 'We are all volunteers, and we love what we do. It really comes from the heart. I believe this donation from Shania Twain is something that's really coming from her heart too. We feel very blessed that she selected our organization.' Thousands of country music fans will flock to Cavendish for the festival, which runs July 10-12.
