Meals for SPCA Ouest and money for hospitality workers
Two feel-good initiatives are announced along with a special city honour guard
SPCA Ouest, which is based in Vaudreuil-dorion, will benefit from a donation made from Wishbone Pet Food.
Wishbone Pet Food announced it will donate 7,800 meals for dogs and 6,500 meals for cats to SPCA International, which will then redistribute the food to pet shelters in Michigan, New York and Nova Scotia, as well as SPCA Ouest.
The non-profit SPCA Ouest is an off-island, no-kill shelter that accepts all animal surrenders and rescues in need.
“With the 24 dogs and 55 cats we still have in the shelter and the heavy veterinarian restrictions the government imposed on us, we are stuck between a rock and a hard place,” stated Rémi Brazeau, executive director of SPCA Ouest.
“We need to keep caring for these animals, have no vetting available, and donations and revenue have now reached a new low. This food donation will most definitely help”.
Wishbone, a New Zealand-based pet food manufacturer, said its meal donations are meant to help animal shelters as the COVID -19 pandemic continues. During this extended crisis, shelters face shortages, shipping delays and a higher number of abandoned pets.
Restaurant workers can apply for $500 grant
The Canadian Hospitality Worker Relief Fund (CHWRF) is being launched to support restaurant and hospitality workers who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Canadian chefs Vikram Vij, Victor Barry and Dan Geltner announced the creation of the CHWRF on Tuesday.
“The Canadian restaurant industry is suffering as many restaurant and hospitality workers find themselves without work and in need of financial assistance,” stated Geltner, who owns Le Kitchen, Le Catering and Wonderburger. “I am proud to join the CHWRF in supporting workers and their families here in Quebec and the rest of the country.”
The fund, which will start accepting applications on May 6, will provide one-time $500 grants to eligible restaurant and hospitality workers, including cooks, servers, dishwashers, bartenders, delivery people and others who suddenly find themselves in distress and in urgent need of items such as groceries, medication or health products. Grants will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
The fund will be administered by the Design Exchange, a registered charity that also serves as an event venue in Toronto. It will be promoted across Canada with the help of community partners such as Elevate, Staffy, La Tablée des Chefs and Spiffy.
CHWRF founding partners, including Uber Eats, Garland and Welbilt Canada, have pledged more than $1 million to launch the fund.
For more information about the fund or how eligible workers can apply, visit chwrf.ca.
Rosemère pays tribute to health providers
The town of Rosemère paid tribute to the workers at the CHSLD Hubert-maisonneuve last Friday. For the occasion, a number of town trucks and employees formed an honour guard in support of the workers who are helping the sick despite the risks associated with the coronavirus pandemic.
“These admirable human beings are truly champions who deserve all our recognition and gratitude. Day after day, night after night, they ensure the health and well-being of our seniors and vulnerable people in extremely difficult circumstances. They work to save the lives of those who built our Quebec society. There are no words powerful enough to show how exemplary their commitment and passion are,” stated Mayor Eric Westram.
The town posted a video about the event on its Facebook page.