BMO partners with MLSE to feed front line workers
Toronto’s BMO Field is undergoing a remarkable transformation, from a world-class outdoor sports venue to a giant kitchen dedicated to boldly growing the good by providing nourishment to those in need. BMO is coming on as a founding partner of MLSE’s “Bringing Toronto Back To Its Feet” program. This new phase of MLSE’s initiative will produce thousands of meals to support both front line health care workers and Torontonians experiencing food insecurity—and turn the symbol of BMO’s passion for sports into a symbol of our Purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good – in business and life.
MLSE’s chefs and food and beverage staff are creating and packaging fresh, nutritious, ready-to-heat single-serving meals suitable for a variety of dietary needs, which are delivered to health care facilities and food banks across the city. With BMO Field added to the existing production capacity at Scotiabank Area, MLSE will be able to expand beyond their original production goal to now produce up to 13,000 meals per day. Second Harvest, the largest food rescue organization in Canada, along with a network of local suppliers and sponsors, are supplying fresh ingredients daily to the MLSE team.
A few facts about the program:
- The program is expected to prepare and deliver hundreds of thousands of meals over the coming weeks for a growing network of hospitals and community agencies.
- In the first two weeks of operation, the MLSE culinary team has used almost 25,000 pounds of chicken, 15,000 pounds of potatoes, 10,000 pounds of mixed vegetables and 8,000 pounds of pasta as the meals are produced.
- MLSE worked with food hygiene experts and Toronto Public Health during the development of the program to ensure the safety of the meals and of the people who are working to prepare them.
“We’re extremely proud to help expand this successful program to support front-line health workers and Second Harvest, who provide meals to the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Darryl White, CEO, BMO Financial Group. “BMO is here to boldly grow the good in business and life, and that inspires the actions we’re taking to fight this pandemic. We’ll continue to look for opportunities like this with our partners to grow the good in our communities.”
“There has been an outpouring of support in response to this initiative and it has further demonstrated the united and generous spirit of Toronto,” said Michael Friisdahl, President and CEO of MLSE. “The addition of the facilities at BMO Field, and the support of BMO as a partner, will help us grow this program beyond what we had first envisioned and provide even more support to the community where and when it is needed most. We are very appreciative to everyone who has played a role in making this program possible, but we are especially grateful for the generosity of MLSE’s ownership, the commitment of our employees, and the support of our corporate and community partners. This is an example of Toronto at its best.”