Giant Tiger Partners with ISWO to Support COVID-19 Relief Efforts
GIANT TIGER PARTNERS WITH ISWO TO SUPPORT COVID-19 RELIEF EFFORTS FOR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
Staying true to brand, Giant Tiger steps up in a ‘giant’ way, providing new goods and clothing for Indigenous communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mississauga, Ontario – September 30, 2020 – After identifying the unique challenges faced by many Indigenous communities, particularly for those in remote and northern locations, Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario (ISWO) – the designated Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Body for the province – sent out an SOS requesting organizations to help meet the needs of Indigenous communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For many communities, it’s simply a question of accessing food items, goods and household products, that are low on shelves due to a breakdown in supply chains and out of reach, due to absorbent transportation costs.
Giant Tiger answered ISWO’s call for help, by donating a significant amount of new clothing, bedding, home décor, kids’ toys, toiletries, and other essential home products for distribution to Indigenous communities across Ontario.
Giant Tiger is a proud Canadian, community-focused retailer, offering a convenient one-stop-shop for everything Canadian family’s need. Charitable giving is a significant part of their operating mandate. Both head office and their over 250 stores across Canada make it a priority to give back to organizations and charities that make a difference in their communities.
“Giant Tiger is incredibly proud to support the diverse communities we call home,” says Alison Scarlett, AVP Communications and Public Relations. “Giant Tiger is committed to helping the people in these communities and we are honoured to align with an organization who shares in that endeavour. We know the impact of COVID-19 has been significant and Giant Tiger is happy to provide necessary goods to those that need it most. We continue to be inspired by organizations such as ISWO and their dedication to care for our communities.”
Since the beginning of the pandemic in early March, ISWO has been working with Indigenous communities and organizations to identify their tangible needs, and aligning those with organizations that are willing to help. In the span of a short few months, ISWO was able to secure and coordinate the delivery of over 73,000 pounds of potatoes, onions and meat products, and over $100,000 of clothing and household goods, to more than 60 Indigenous communities. Now, with a generous donation of more than 13 skids of new clothing and goods from Giant Tiger, ISWO is excited to support additional communities and continue thinking outside of the ‘sport’ box in these uncertain times. To ensure the expedient delivery of donated goods to remote Indigenous communities, ISWO has partnered with the Rotary Clubs of Canada’s Honouring Indigenous Peoples (HIP) program, who will generously transport the items across the province at a nominal or no cost to ISWO.
“It’s amazing to see communities and organizations coming together during this time to help support those who may be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Marc Laliberte, President of ISWO. “We’ve all had to shift the way we think, the way we do things and the way in which we live our lives; it has made us realize how connected and yet how vulnerable we all are, and just how important community really is. This is particularly true for many remote and northern Indigenous communities in Ontario, where the pandemic has only served to heighten pre-existing issues of food security, lack of access to clean drinking water and sanitation, and the need for
medical care and supplies – and the inequalities are glaring. Communities require long-term solutions and funding, but in the short-term, this support is so important. It’s simply life-saving and we are thankful to have the ability to be part of the solution.”
For more information about ISWO’s programs, please visit iswo.ca; to support ISWO’s COVID-19 relief efforts, please send an email to info@iswo.ca. For more information about Giant Tiger, please visit gianttiger.com.
Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario (ISWO) Quick Facts:
• ISWO is the designated Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Body for the province of Ontario, funded by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and the Government of Canada.
• ISWO serves all Indigenous Peoples and communities across the province of Ontario, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis, living on and off-reserve, in rural and urban settings, encompassing more than 350,000 Indigenous Peoples.
• ISWO promotes and creates opportunities for participation in sport and cultural activities that promote wellness and positive lifestyles for Indigenous Peoples across Ontario.
• ISWO is recognized by the Aboriginal Sport Circle and the North American Indigenous Games Council, and is the designated sport body for the development, selection and management of Team Ontario, which participates in the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC) and North American Indigenous Games (NAIG).
Giant Tiger Quick Facts:
• Giant Tiger was founded by Gordon Reid in Ottawa’s Byward Market in 1961.
• Giant Tiger currently has over 250 stores across 8 provinces.
• Giant Tiger employs approximately 9,500 employees across all areas of the business.
• Giant Tiger’s mascot is Friendly, the Giant Tiger.
• 2018 marked the grand opening of their state-of-the-art Distribution Centre in Johnstown
Ontario, operating the first Symbotic System in Canada.
• Giant Tiger transport our goods via Tiger Trucking with hubs in Johnstown Ontario and
Moncton New Brunswick.
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Acknowledgement
ISWO honours the traditional lands and homelands of all Indigenous Peoples and communities
across the province of Ontario, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis living both on and off
reserve, in rural and urban communities.
ISWO Contact Information
Brittney Sault, Manager of Marketing & Communications
Brittney.Sault@iswo.ca
www.iswo.ca
Giant Tiger Contact Information
Alison Scarlett
AVP Communications and Public Relations
ascarlett@gianttiger.com
www.gianttiger.com
