SUBWAY® Canada to celebrate National Sandwich Day by donating 303,030 meals to food banks across Canada

Sandwich shop partners with Food Banks Canada

TORONTO, Oct. 4, 2016 /CNW/ - This year National Sandwich Day will be full of giving. For every sandwich purchased with a drink on November 3, 2016, SUBWAY^® Canada will donate the monetary equivalent of a meal to Food Banks Canada. In addition to donating a meal, participating sandwich shops will also give the purchaser a second sandwich of equal or lesser value.

Through this initiative, SUBWAY^® will donate the equivalent of 303,030 meals* to Food Banks Canada, which is approximately the number of children across the country that rely on food banks every month. A portion of the donation will support Food Banks Canada's 550 food banks through their national food sharing system. The donation also marks the first national meal donation by SUBWAY^® Canada.

Over its history the sandwich shop has focused strongly on giving in local communities as franchisees get involved in initiatives that support their local neighbourhoods. This history made Food Banks Canada a natural fit as a charitable partner as they also focus on helping within local communities and are increasingly concerned with providing fresh foods to those in need.

Through capacity building initiatives and increased efforts to provide essential food to people in need, 40 per cent of the food shared by food banks are fresh foods.  With a 26 per cent increase in food bank use since 2008, Food Banks Canada has reported that 1.7 million Canadians this year alone will turn to a food bank for help.

"We're moving into an incredibly busy period for food banks so this donation from SUBWAY^® restaurants couldn't have come at a better time," says Pam Jolliffe, Executive Director, Food Banks Canada. "Our partnership with SUBWAY^® is a huge opportunity for us to not only ensure our shelves can be stocked but also to drive awareness of the increasing need for support on a national scale."

Several agencies are supporting SUBWAY^® Canada's National Sandwich Day efforts. Public relations and social media support is being handled by Veritas Communications. TV and digital advertising creative was produced by Sid Lee. All media buying was coordinated by Carat.

For more information about SUBWAY^® Canada and the National Sandwich Day initiative, join SUBWAY^® Canada's online community at www.facebook.com/SubwayCanada or follow @SUBWAYCanada.

*SUBWAY^® will donate the monetary equivalent of a meal up to a maximum donation of $100,000.  $1 helps to provide 3 meals acquired by Food Banks Canada and shared coast-to-coast with 550 local food banks

About SUBWAY^® restaurants

Customers in 112 countries have easy access to a fresh line-up of vegetables for their made-to-order sandwiches and salads at any of the more than 44,000 franchised locations. The company, founded 50 years-ago by then 17-year-old Fred DeLuca and family-friend Dr. Peter Buck, is still a family-owned business with thousands of dedicated franchisees/entrepreneurs in neighborhoods around the world, providing easy access to vegetables, detailed nutrition, dietary, and healthy lifestyle information. This has been a priority for the SUBWAY^® restaurants chain for many years. To learn more information about us, visit www.SUBWAY.com, like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SUBWAYCanada and follow us on https://twitter.com/SUBWAYCanada

SUBWAY^® is a Registered Trademark of Subway IP Inc. ©2016 Subway IP Inc.

About Food Banks Canada

Food Banks Canada supports a unique network of over 3,000 food-related organizations in every province and territory that assists more than 850,000 Canadians each month. Together our network shares over 200 million pounds of essential safe quality food annually, provides social programs that help to foster self-sufficiency, and advocates for policy change that will help create a Canada where no one goes hungry. Visit foodbankscanada.ca for more information.

SOURCE SUBWAY RESTAURANTS

Joëlle Paquette, Veritas Communications, [email protected], [phone]; Marzena Gersho, Food Banks Canada, [email protected], 647-242-5919