Catelli Pasta launches Giving Feels Good campaign to uncover the real face of food insecurity in Canada
MONTREAL, April 15, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - It's hard to shallow the fact that the majority (50.3%) of the 1.9 million food aid applications in Quebec come from households of individuals living on their own or single parents supporting a family alone.i In its commitment to help tackle food insecurity, Catelli pasta has launched Giving Feels Good, commissioning a survey to take a pulse on food bank users, perceptions and the struggle for single adults.
"The 16 food banks we're supporting this year are doing incredible work in their communities to combat Canada's food crisis," says Alistair Senn, Senior Brand Manager at Catelli. "Food insecurity doesn't discriminate. The need in the spring and summer is high, which is why Catelli has pledged to donate one million portions of pasta to our food bank partners."
Wholesome pasta is one of the top 10 items food banks need due to its nutritional value as a complex carb, and because it appeals to people with various cultural backgrounds.
"Every month, over 500,000 people go hungry in Quebec. Thank you to Catelli for taking the initiative to bring our communities together to collect healthy food for the Moisson food banks of our network (regional food sorting and redistribution centers serving nearly 1,200 organizations) and for families in need, " says Annie Gauvin, Executive Director at Food Banks of Quebec.
Quebec's hunger crisis isn't going anywhere as an astounding number of Quebecers admit to missing a meal in the last year alone, because they simply couldn't afford to buy anything.
Catelli's Giving Feels Good research uncovered the reality many Quebecers are facing when it comes to their daily struggle to put food on the table.
The Catelli survey revealed:
- One-in-five Quebecers (20%) admit that they have turned to a food bank at least once in their life.
- While many Quebecers (87%) are grateful to have family/friends join them for meals, when they are left alone, more than half (55%) admit they turn to convenient, less healthy foods.
- Almost two-thirds of Quebecers (60%) think that families are the most common food bank users.
- In the last 12 months, one-in-ten Quebecers (10%) have skipped a meal, because they couldn't afford to buy anything.
The growing reality of having nobody to turn to for support
The notion of loneliness amongst food bank users is a harsh reality for 250,000 single Quebecersii. While 76% admit they would get involved if someone they knew couldn't afford to feed themselves or their kids, one-quarter (25 %) claim that if they needed help, they don't feel they could turn to their family or friends. This result demonstrates that Quebecers are eager to help their neighbours, yet the stigma surrounding food insecurity may prevent people from raising their hand.
From single, working parents to adults trying to make ends meet on their own, to seniors with a shrinking income, food bank users come from all walks of life and many were previously food secure. In fact, food banks are increasingly seeing those who are currently employed, have a post-secondary education or are highly skilled in their field, turn to them for support.
Catelli's commitment to combating food insecurity in Canada
Ignoring the food crisis in Canada won't make it go away, which is why, for the 11th year, Catelli has pledged to donate one million portions of pasta to those in need adding to the nine million portions donated since the program began in 2009.
For every box of Catelli pasta purchased between April 15 and May 31, 2019, Catelli will donate a serving of pasta to local food banks across Canada.
Pasta donations will be made to Catelli's longstanding local food bank partners: Calgary Food Bank, Edmonton's Food Bank, FEED Nova Scotia, The Food Bank of Waterloo Region, Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society, Greener Village Community Food Centre, Hamilton Food Share, London and Area Food Bank, Moisson Montréal, Moisson Québec, North York Harvest Food Bank, Ottawa Food Bank, Project Share, Regina & District Food Bank Inc., Saskatoon Food Bank & Resource Centre and Winnipeg Harvest.
Find out more about how people can help make a difference by visiting Catelli.ca/givingfeelsgood and following #GivingFeelsGood on social media.
About Catelli Foods Corporation
Catelli® Foods Corporation is the largest marketer and distributor of pasta and second largest marketer and distributor of rice in Canada. The company was founded in Montréal, QC in 1867 by Carlo Onorato Catelli, an Italian immigrant who began the business by making macaroni and vermicelli by hand. Now, 152 years later, Catelli® pasta is ranked the #1 Canadian pasta brand and is the leader in the health and wellness pasta segment, while Catelli's Minute Rice® brand is the leader in the instant rice segment. The operation has grown to include other well-known pasta and sauce brands such as, Lancia®, No Yolks®, Olivieri®, Splendor®, Giovani Panzani®, Healthy Harvest® and Ronzoni®. Headquartered in Montréal, Québec, Catelli is part of the Ebro Foods, S.A. group, the leading company in the Spanish food processing sector, being the world's largest trader of rice and second biggest producer of pasta.
About the survey
An online survey of 1539 Canadians was completed between March 8-11, 2019, using Leger's online panel. The margin of error for this study was +/-2.5% out of 20.
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i BILAN-FAIM Québec 2018 (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2019, from https://www.banquesalimentaires.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Bilan-Faim-2018-LesBAQ.pdf
ii BILAN-FAIM Québec 2018 (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2019, from https://www.banquesalimentaires.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Bilan-Faim-2018-LesBAQ.pdf
SOURCE Catelli
Press Contact: Marie Bernard-Brind'Amour, Capital-Image, [email protected]
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