Playoffs - April 2025 newsletter
It’s playoff hockey season!
In Ottawa, the Senators are back in the playoffs for the first time in…a while. The Kingston Frontenacs OHL team made it to round two of the for the first time in…a while. The London Knights remain the London Knights – a very good team.
While some players have that almost ‘game breaking’ ability, especially those recently breaking scoring records, hockey is a team sport. You especially notice it when a player takes a penalty – as soon as a team is down a man, ‘the ice tilts’ as the commentators would say.
The team aspect of hockey manifests itself beyond the ice, however. Sure, the forwards, defensemen, and goalies all need to work together for sixty or more minutes of ice time, but they also need to work with the coaching staff, and with the personal trainers, equipment professionals, medical staff, and more. To say nothing of the fans!
The point is that, while the score sheet at the end of the night might have a certain player’s name on it, every goal scored and every save made was a team effort.
We take that same approach at Lionhearts. We have some super fans who appreciate our deliveries to local non-profits. We’re always appreciative of the support – and yet in that moment, we point it back to the many people who make it happen. The supplier partners who gave us the food and goods. The volunteers and staff who got it distributed. The agency partners who put it to use serving the community. And the donors who kept our warehouse open, our vehicles on the road, and our bills covered.
Thanks for being on Team Ottawa, Team Kingston, and Team London, especially at a time when our communities need you more than ever and especially during this special and important season...of Easter! (Didn't think I was going to say playoffs, did you?)
Happy Easter to you and yours!
Travis Blackmore
Founder and CEO, Lionhearts Inc.
Kingston
Lunch and Learn
Along with our friends at Tourism Kingston, we hosted a lunch and learn on Wednesday, April 23 at noon at our Kingston warehouse exclusively for local restauranteurs, hoteliers, and folks who might regularly have surplus food they are willing to donate.
We appreciated your introductions as we seek to make even more friends within our local business community.
Kin You Believe It?
Thank you Kinsmen Club of Kingston members and supporters for your generous donation to our Student Food Box program! They have once again committed $30,000 to help us fight food insecurity!
Ottawa
Let's Talk Turkey
We received a generous donation from Costco including 100 turkeys. We also received 25 boxes of fresh produce from our friends at the Ontario Produce Marketing Association (OPMA), the Toronto Wholesale Produce Association (TWPA), and Tony Deodato and Sons
So, we put 'em together, called our friends at the Stittsville Food Bank, and we found some local families who could give it all a good home!
Thank you to the volunteers who made it all happen, to our generous food partners, and to our donors who help keep our warehouse open and our vehicles on the roads!
Save the Date
Our next volunteer recognition event will be held Saturday, July 12 from 12 to 4 p.m. at Moloughney Park in Barrhaven. Save the date!
We'll be enjoying BBQ, a bouncy castle, and music!
Save the date for now and watch for your opportunity to RSVP soon.
London
Like Christmas in April
Our friends at Gateway Church and Rotary Club of London South teamed up to sort a shipment we recovered from our friends at Amazon.
After a sorting and packing party, those goods were delivered to seven local agencies including Ark Aid Mission and the London Abused Women's Centre.
Thank you to all who helped make this happen, from our donors, to our partners, to our volunteers and staff!