For those who care deeply about inclusion, 2026 marks an interesting 35th anniversary for a photo with global significance - and there's a Canadian angle.
Think back first to 1987. AIDS had only been formally recognized, diagnosed, and named six years earlier, and there remained significant stigma and misunderstanding which contributed to the isolation of those infected.
It was into this fraught political context that Lady Diana visited an HIV/AIDS hospice in the UK. During this visit, she shook hands with an AIDS patient without wearing gloves. And the press were there to capture the moment.
A few years later, in 1991, she visited a Canadian HIV/AIDS hospice in Toronto and did it again, once again with members of the press present.
Now, to those of us living in the enlightened year of 2026, these moments don't sound all that significant. We know AIDS is serious, but not transmissible through a handshake.
In those days, however, there remained a lot of questions and concerns - ones which Lady Di bulldozed with her moment of bravery. "HIV does not make people dangerous to know. You can shake their hands and give them a hug. Heaven knows they need it," as she said at the time.
Because of her deliberate choice, it's now unthinkable that we would treat HIV/AIDS patients in the way that they were treated during the 1980s. It sparked a revolution.
Historian Tom Holland once said it is only incomplete revolutions that are remembered - otherwise, they just become our new normal. The old way of doing and being is left in the dustbin of history.
Revolutions can be big or small, controversial or just plain common sense. We like to think we're on a mission to spark a revolution of our own: one where perfectly good food and goods are not thrown out, but rather given away in a win-win-win scenario for companies, social service agencies, and the people they serve.
Would you join us in sparking a revolution that says people shouldn't be going hungry while edible food is being thrown out? Would you help us in rescuing the food, and supporting the companies that are making responsible choices?
We're thankful for all of you on the journey with us to the day where it becomes unthinkable to waste food, and unacceptable that people would go hungry.
Travis Blackmore
Founder and CEO, Lionhearts
HQ
Best Summer Jobs Ever
Thanks to the Government of Canada for approving several Canada Summer Jobs positions for us once again! These important student roles help us rescue and share more food in the summer months.
That means...we're now hiring! Visit lionhearts.ca/work for information on the open student positions in all three cities we work in.
Kingston
Support from our kin
Did you know? Tickets purchased in the Kinsmen Dream Home Lottery support local charities like us!
Thank you to Kinsmen Dream Home Lottery team for your $30,000 support of our Student Food Box program, which helps feed 250 area families through monthly box deliveries.
Eating Clean
Thanks to our friends at Tourism Kingston for featuring us in an article on sustainable tourism and Kingston!
"Meals are distributed via several organizations, notably shelters for people experiencing homelessness. Food boxes are also prepared for kids whose families are in vulnerable situations. “We do home deliveries so the children aren’t singled out at school,” Karen added. And food that’s no longer fit for human consumption makes for ideal pig feed at local farms.
Ottawa
Look What We lassoed
Yeehaw!
It's always exciting when we get a big donation and this was no exception: 15,000 tubs of ranch dressing!
Thank you to the generous supplier pardners who provide us with food like this to give away, the agencies who serve our vulnerable neighbours, the volunteers who help rustle it into our barn, and the donors who help keep our warehouse doors open and trucks on the road.
Thanks for the visit!
Thank you to all those who came out to our Open House this past week! We appreciate the opportunity to share more about our work, share delicious food and drink with our guests, and recruit some more help in the fight against hunger.
London
Crouch standing tall
Here's a note we got from Crouch Neighbourhood Resource Centre:
"Huge thank you to Lionhearts London for your generous donation last week!
The hygiene, food and drink items are truly appreciated, these are essentials that are often limited for many in our community. Your support helps us continue to meet basic needs and show up for our neighbours in meaningful ways."
Sorting out our sorting
We host monthly sorting parties to help turn the donations we receive from Amazon into community impact!
Do you know people, clubs, or churches who might want to get involved? Mark your calendar and have them email london@lionhearts.ca!
