TOTCB 2016: Growing Together
We are excited to kick off the second annual Think Outside The Chocolate Box campaign! Last year we collaborated with CTV Edmonton and Body By Bennett to raise over $15,000 for Edmonton’s Food Bank. We hope to surpass that goal with the help of our existing partners as well as some new partners!
If this is the first time you are hearing about the campaign I will share our vision with you. There are many campaigns that contribute funds and non-perishable food items to the Food Bank but our campaign has a bit of a twist.
Over the years we have heard many of our clients complain about the excessive amount of treats at the office over the holiday season. We thought we could persuade companies to take the money they are spending on treats for their employees, customers and other businesses and donate it to the Food Bank instead. The money donated will be used to buy fresh produce for the hampers given to those in need.
We hope to create a win-win scenario for everyone within our community. Companies win by providing fresh produce for hampers and employees benefit from not having to face the temptations of excessive treats at the office.
This year has been an exceptionally challenging year for Food Banks across Alberta due in part to the forest fires and the recession, making this year’s campaign even more important. We are not asking organizations to spend more money. Rather, we are asking them to choose a different approach to saying thank you to their employees, customers and business partners. Our slogan sums it up nicely: Turning office treats into healthy eats for those in need.
New Partners
We are very grateful to have a video for the campaign this year that was created by a group of students from Mother Margaret Mary Catholic High School in Terwillegar. The students participate in Changemaker projects that are designed to get them engaged in issues impacting their community and help the students make a difference. Denise Gulli, a teacher at the school, presented the Think Outside the Chocolate Box campaign to the students and they all decided this was a project they wanted to get involved with. They were shocked to learn that over 40% of the people who rely on the food bank are under the age of 18. As part of their project they will be volunteering at the Edmonton Food Bank and will continue to bring awareness to the essential role the Edmonton Food Bank plays within our community.
Special thanks to Garnett Ross (Writer/Director/Editor), Vincent Lau (Editor), Nick Lee (Camera Operator); actors Cameron Kennedy, Heather Kaup, Shayne Billy, Cory Donald, Emily Laing (Narrator); as well as Mallory Bell, Christy Simon and Luigi Pulido, Mark Perez, Juan Lopez, Denise Gulli and Michelle Ross. Check out our website for the video. We are honored to have these incredible young people and their teachers be a part of the campaign. Together we look forward to making this year’s campaign a great success!
Watch the video that the students and staff at Mother Margaret Mary Catholic High School filmed!
Visit the Think Outside the Chocolate Box website for more information and to find out how your organization can donate!