Business Does Good: Port of Belledune Donates $37,500 To Northern N.B. Food Banks
This story is part of a series called, Business Does Good, stories about Maritime companies contributing time and money to making their communities stronger.
BELLEDUNE – With the Covid-19 pandemic bringing financial hardship to people across New Brunswick this year, the Port of Belledune doubled down on its mission to give back to their communities.
This year the port has donated $37,000 to food banks in the Acadian Peninsula, Chaleur Region and Restigouche Region.
Giving back to community organizations was something the port has done for well over a decade. Fourteen years ago, its board of directors mandated that up to 5 percent of the port’s net profits every year be donated each year.
In the past, the Port of Belledune has donated to larger causes like the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation’s Big Bike Event, but also to local sports associations, community festivals, breakfast programs, animal shelters, and food banks.
But a global pandemic made this year different.
“[This year] was ‘different’ as we all know… and of course all of the community festivals and many of the organizations we typically support cancelled their programming for 2020,” said Jenna MacDonald, vice-president of marketing at the Port of Belledune. “With the uncertainty of what would happen and what would not happen, the donation committee decided that our money would be best spent helping those who need it most – especially this year.”
Most years, the Port donates between $5,000 and $8,000 to food banks and organizations helping around the holidays. But with the Covid-19 bringing financial hardship to more people, it wanted to do more.
“We take our community role and our impact in the region very seriously. It plays a part in all of our discussions from budgets, to staffing to economic development, to shipping operations, and the list goes on,” said MacDonald. “During this pandemic, the donation committee knew it would have to shift in order to still give back, but we were determined to give in a meaningful way.”
The year the Port of Belledune donated $42,000 to Food Banks and other organizations helping those in need across northern New Brunswick from the Acadian Peninsula to Saint-Quentin in Restigouche.
$37,500 was donated to food banks across northern new Brunswick in March 2020 and an additional $5000 was donated at the beginning of December to support holiday campaigns at Food Banks and holiday giving for organizations helping individuals like seniors and adults with disabilities.
“The pandemic served as a really good reminder to the Port and to the donation committee to go back to the basics,” said MacDonald. “Even when it feels like the world is being shut down there are people right next to us who need our help.”
Though they hope the festivals and community events they’ve supported in the past will return in 2021, MacDonald says the port is ready to continue to adapt and give back however they can next year.
“The Port has started thinking about ways we can participate even if these events look different. Maybe our help will come in the way of helping to organize a virtual event, or participating in a “drive-through” parade using the Port’s minibus, or volunteering our time,” she said.
“The Port staff, like me, are all very passionate about the community and being part of the good that happens in our region.”