Sarah Mills: A little wave on the road can make somebody's day
Many Saskatchewan drivers give each other a little wave when they pass on the roads or highways, but Sarah Mills says sh...
The Canadian country music superstar who sings “That Don’t Impress Me Much” is continuing to impress those who are helping fight food insecurity.
Through her foundation, Shania Twain is set to donate $25,000 to help tackle food insecurity. The donation will be split between six different non-profits in Moose Jaw ahead of her show in the city on July 7.
Jason Moore, the executive director of the Moose Jaw & District Food Bank, said he read the email twice when he learned it would be getting a cut of the donation.
“I just was absolutely floored and filled with gratitude for this considerable donation from the Shania Twain Foundation,” he said. “She couldn’t be helping a better cause, and I know that our community is in need of it.”
In July of 2024, the Moose Jaw food bank was at risk of closing its doors for good after seeing its clients double. Moore said the client intake is continuing to increase.
“As the economy continues to struggle and grocery prices continue to go up, so do the number of people accessing food banks and other services that are similar to that,” he said. “So, this couldn’t come at a better time.”
Moore said there was a swell in donations after the food bank put out a plea for help last year, and the donation from Twain will help.
“We are in a better position,” he said. “But we aren’t out of the woods, so to speak.”
The money the food bank receives will be used to purchase food to feed its 1,800-person clientele through the summer, Moore said, until a larger food drive happens in the fall.
The Shania Twain Foundation partnered with Second Harvest, which will help redistribute 75,000 meals in total.
“In a smaller centre like Moose Jaw, where there is a lot fewer nonprofits, that’s going to really make an impact,” said the manager in charge of Second Harvest in Saskatchewan, Katherine Hepp. “It’s going to be able to make a huge difference in the community.”
The six non-profits in the city who will see a portion of the $25,000 donation are the Moose Jaw & District Food Bank, Moose Jaw Families For Change, Salvation Army, Moose Jaw Family Services, One Square Community Inc. and Turning Leaf Support Services, according to Hepp.
“I will be going to Moose Jaw and meeting with our nonprofits and figuring out what they need, what foods that they’re being asked for, what’s going to best suit their community, and that’s what we’re going to help ensure gets into their hands,” she said.
Moose Jaw is one of five Canadian communities that Twain is visiting during her tour. She will perform at the Moose Jaw Events Centre on July 7.
