#WATWB – Cheers for Team Toronto: Feeding the Hungry Goodnet
Welcome to September’s edition of #WATWB – We are the World Blogfest, where writers can hop on to this monthly, last Friday of the month effort, by sharing some of the good things going on in the world to deflect from the negative. This month I’m sharing how my city, Toronto, has been donating over half a million meals to those in need.
Cheers for Team Toronto: Local Stadium Donates 500,000 Meals
Toronto scores big with a food project that helped the needy.
Just over a year ago, Toronto fans celebrated the Raptors’ win of its first NBA championship. Over two million fans, about one third of the Greater Toronto Area residents, came out for the victory parade on June 17, 2019. Although the stands in the Scotiabank Arena have been empty, Toronto celebrated a recent win in their beloved stadium: the provision of over 500,000 meals for the needy.
It all started on March 12. The stadium’s 24 arena chefs, FoodService and Hospitality reported, were busy prepping in the kitchens. They were readying meals for thousands of hockey fans who were coming that night to watch the Maple Leafs play the Nashville Predators. With four restaurants, 88 concessions, plus 44 corporate suites, the kitchens were hopping. At noon, when a pandemic was declared by the WHO, management decided to suspend the game.
Chris Zielinksi, head chef for Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), was quick to respond, shipping out 27,000 pounds (12,247 kilos) of the prepared meals to food banks the very next day. . . Read the full article
Original Source: Cheers for Team Toronto: Local Stadium Donates 500,000 Meals – Goodnet
If you’d like to join in, visit the #WATWB Facebook group to leave your post link.
Hosts for this month are:
Eric Lahti, Peter Nena Shilpa Garg, Roshan Radhakrishnan, and Sylvia Stein
©DGKaye2020
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dgkaye
D.G. Kaye is a nonfiction/memoir writer, who writes from her own life experiences and self-medicates with a daily dose of humor.
50 Comments
Darlene Foster
WTG Toronto!!
dgkaye
Yay, thanks Darlene! 🙂 x
Jane Sturgeon
What a fabulous story, lovely Debby. Yay to Toronto…..thank you so much for sharing this. <3 <3
dgkaye
Thanks so much Jane. Omg, I just pulled you out of spam! And thanks for commenting, my blog has been down for hours and difficult to get into. <3 xoxo
sally cronin
What a huge undertaking and amazing gesture of community spirit.. Thanks for a wonderful share Debby and I went over to read the rest of the post..What good people..♥♥
dgkaye
Thanks so much Sal. It warms my heart seeing my city doing goodness. <3 xx
susan scott
A wonderful post Debby thank you. A monumental task indeed and done with such grace, ease and professionalism. Using the hockey stadium was a stroke of genius. Good on Toronto! Have a wonderful weekend 🙂
dgkaye
Thanks so much Susan. Waste not, want not. <3
Belinda Witzenhausen
As a fellow Torontonian, I couldn’t be prouder. We’re blessed to live in a city that comes together in both good and bad times. Thanks so much for sharing and for being a part of #WATWB! Wishing you a wonderful weekend!😊
dgkaye
Thanks so much Belinda. Yay for us Torontonians! <3
Marian Beaman
I’m always thrilled when I see efforts to feed the hungry. No one should go hungry on our planet. It’s the job of the blessed to share with those in need. I was happy to donate $$$ to a matching funds incentive to “Feeding Northeast Florida.”
Thanks for making a difference here and in your community, Debby!
dgkaye
Thanks so much Marian. And thank you for your recognition and donations to worthy causes <3
Mary J Giese
I’m shaking my pompoms for Toronto and this truly incredible initiative to feed the hungry. It’s amazing what a community can do to help support its own. Thank you for sharing this wonderful story!
dgkaye
Thanks so much Mary. I’m proud of my city for many things. 🙂
Kate Johnston
Thank goodness for cities like Toronto! Way to set the bar!!
dgkaye
Thanks my friend. Far from perfect, but working together to keep the curve down, nobody complains or spits on people for wearing masks, and fines are real! $100,000 for an establishment not following protocol and $750 per person not obeying safe distance and persons allowed together in a group. 🙂
Pete Springer
Great program! It’s so impressive that they can make so many meals with just twenty-four chefs. Cooking in a restaurant is another thing where social distancing gets more challenging.
dgkaye
True on both counts Pete. Proud of my city! Thanks for visiting. 🙂
James P Borden
what a great story – three cheers for Toronto.
And speaking of the Raptors – Kyle Lowry used to play for the school I teach at – Villanova!
dgkaye
Wow, small world Jim! Thanks for dropping by. 🙂
Toni Pike
A fantastic achievement, Debby. Toni x
dgkaye
Thanks Toni 🙂 xx
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Hi Debby – what a great initiative … and I congratulate them all – I expect they’re continuing on the good work for the needy. Lots of chefs have turned their hand to helping others … so many are doing what they can in these really difficult times. Excellent news and thanks for letting us know – if only all big clubs would do similar – it’d be just brilliant. All the best and take care – Hilary
dgkaye
Hi Hilary. Thanks for stopping by. Oh yes, many chefs have stepped up to the plate in my city. It’s a wonderful selfless effort for sure. Take care and be safe my friend. <3
Sue Dreamwalker
If we all went that extra mile, in helping each other, sharing, caring, etc, I doubt there would be so many needy people in the world. Wonderful story share Debby. There is more than enough food in this world, no one should ever go hungry. But the sad facts are they do.
Food banks have increased hugely here in England.
Much of the hospitality industry here will not recover.
I think we will also have to figure out new ways of supporting the vulnerable, because they have certainly been neglected during this crisis.
Sending love dear Debby. I’m gradually returning to the techno world and WordPress.
Much love to you ❤️😘❤️🙏
dgkaye
Hi Sue. I’m with you, nobody should be starving, yet, there’s plenty of it around the world. And yes, the food banks are getting more and more busier now. It seems many of us are entering the next ‘wave’. Tighter lockdowns are back. And so many businesses hanging by a thread. Grateful for the tender mercies where people are helping people. Glad to have you back around blogland Sue. You’ve returned at a very busy time for the planets! Peace and love to you my dear friend. No time to take off the seatbelts! 🙂 <3 Hugs xoxo
Marjorie Mallon
It’s lovely to hear some cheery, positive news. Great share, Debby.
dgkaye
Thanks Marje 🙂 xx
Stevie Turner
What a wonderful thing to do! x
dgkaye
Thanks Stevie xx
Diana Peach
What a wonderful uplifting share, Debby. It’s so important to hear about good things happening in the world and the people with giant hearts behind them. Hurray for Toronto. 😀
dgkaye
Thanks Diana. The WATWB initiative is going on three years now – started long before Covid, but especially heart-warming good deeds going on now in these turbulent times. <3
Eric Lahti
That is great! So much better than letting the food go to waste!
dgkaye
Indeed! Thanks for stopping by Eric 😉
Robbie Cheadle
A lovely article to share, Debby. I’ve read great things about Canada’s response to C-19 generally for its citizens. You are lucky to live there.
dgkaye
Thanks Robbie. Yes, I am grateful to be a Canadian with our gov’t doing everything right here, and people adhering. But it’s sooooo expensive to live here 🙁
John Maberry
WOW–quick and good (in the charitable sense) thinking!
dgkaye
Canadian spirit! 🙂
Catherine Green
Wow, that’s a great project!
dgkaye
Thank you 🙂
Christy B
What an awesome indication of Toronto’s spirit! Wonderful to learn about this, Debby xo I like reading positive things, especially right now in this crazy world!
dgkaye
Thanks so much Christy. That’s the beauty of WATWB, to uplift and deflect from all the crap and focus on good things. <3
Amy M Reade
It’s so great to see a big, diverse community like Toronto coming together for the sake of people in need. Great article, Debby. Thanks for sharing and making me smile.
dgkaye
Thank you Amy. We certainly need more of this as the food bank lineups grow longer 🙁 x
Liesbet
Fantastic, Debby! You truly live in one of the most fantastic – diverse, friendly, caring, cultural – cities in the world. And, I would hate to see anything go to waste!!
dgkaye
Thank you Liesbet. 🙂 x
Olga Núñez Miret
A great initiative. What a better way to celebrate than share with others what we can. I love to read good news for a change, Debby. Thanks for sharing!
dgkaye
Happy to enlighten you Olga. That’s what WATWB is for, to celebrate the good things. <3
Elaine Mansfield
Wonderful! In these challenging times, I’m always glad to hear about projects to give to those who need it or take care of neglected animals. Here, local people worked hard to keep the local food pantry and small local businesses going during the pandemic. Many businesses are surviving and the food pantry is serving many who need help.
dgkaye
Amen to the compassionate Elaine 🙂