Cooling off - July 2025 Newsletter
Here's a cool summer fact for you: did you know air conditioning (as we know it today) was originally invented in 1902 to help cool down a printing plant?
It was 23 years later that the technology was first deployed to a non-industrial setting - meaning 2025 marks 100 years of indoor air conditioning (for those of us not employed in manufacturing, anyway). Pretty cool, hmm?
Have you ever had an idea like that? You think of something neat, and it's only a while later that someone points out an even better way to use it?
In the last year, we have taken our food rescue to a new level thanks to partnerships with organizations like La TablΓ©e des Chefs, Ottawa Tourism, and Tourism Kingston, who have helped us connect with hotels, entertainment venues, and many more organizations in Kingston, Ottawa, and London. In fact, TablΓ©e and Ottawa Tourism marked a one-year anniversary in June, noting that the partners (including us) had "recovered over 160,000 meals of surplus food and redistributed it to those facing food insecurity across the national capital region."
These partnerships mean more edible food that avoids the landfill and makes its way to those who can use it.
Of course, these efforts also build on the food rescue and recovery we've been doing for over a decade now - including at events catered by our good friends at Tulips & Maple Catering.
Want to see the results? Visit our social media channels and you'll regularly see pictures of food we've recovered or 'reimagined' into meals that are distributed to front-line agencies for their clientele.
Whether you're involved in recovering the food, redistributing it, magically transforming it (thank you to our kitchen team!), or making it all possible through your financial support, thank you for helping us serve those in need.
And: stay cool!
Travis Blackmore
Founder and CEO, Lionhearts Inc.
Kingston
Hot Drinks, Cool Cash
Here's a much-appreciated jolt from our friends at Starbucks!
We have once again received a Starbucks Neighbourhood Grant, thanks to the support of our local Starbucks locations. The grant of $6,750 will support our food and household goods recovery efforts locally.
Jeff from our team accepted on our behalf from Starbucks District Manager Jordan.
Unlock Hope Update
We're so grateful for the ongoing support of the Kinsmen Club of Kingston, who recently provided a $30,000 cheque! Proceeds will be used to support our Student Food Box program and as part of a matching campaign for our ππ§π₯π¨ππ€ ππ¨π©π summer fundraising campaign!
If you'd like to capitalize the matching gifts from Kinsmen Club and Kingston's Rotary Clubs, donate to our campaign to see your gift tripled! We're currently 70% of the way to our goal!
Ottawa
A Cool Summer Job
We're grateful for a recent visit from Carleton MP Bruce Fanjoy. Thank you for visiting our warehouse to learn more about our work, and thank you for your support for our Canada Summer Jobs application!
MP Fanjoy is pictured here with some of our CSJ hires as well as our volunteers and members of our team.
An Uplifting Story
We can all use a lift sometimes!
It Takes A Village Dog Rescue stopped by recently to pick up some dog food, treats, and toys. They are hosting more than 50 extra dogs who have been displaced by the wildfires in Manitoba.
While they were here, we were able to donate a dog wash station that features an electric lift! Isn't that an uplifting story?
London
On Our Way to a Cool Half Mill
As of late June, we have recovered over $403,275.62 worth of food and household goods in the London area! Thanks to our friends at Gateway Church and London-area Rotary clubs, those goods have been redistributed to London-area charities at no cost to them. In August, we mark one year in London!