UFA announces an additional $40,000 to help support communities through COVID-19

Calgary, Alberta, Dec. 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UFA announced today an additional $40,000 to help even more organizations providing important support to communities through the global pandemic. This announcement is in addition to UFA's COVID-19 response to date with donations now totalling over $140,000. 

"As a member-owned co-operative, we needed to ensure the health and safety of our communities and our people. We needed to make sure we could remain open, while being there to support the critical needs of the agriculture and transport industries," says Scott Bolton, President and CEO.

Prior to today's announcement, UFA's COVID-19 response included over $100,000 shared by:

114- Food banks & other food initiatives

19- Shelters

72- Community outreach programs

UFA also provided the following supports:

• Partnering with AMTA to assemble 25,000 free PPE kits for truck drivers
• Donating the last of our N95 masks (4,800 masks) to AHS workers

Today, UFA announced an additional $40,000 to help even more organizations that are providing important support to communities through COVID-19. The funds will be shared in the following ways:

To help support the transport and critical life-saving care of patients in Alberta amid a global pandemic, UFA will donate $15K to STARS Air Ambulance in support of operations to ensure they can continue caring for some of the most critically ill patients, many of whom are battling COVID-19.

UFA believes in not only supporting the physical health and safety of people in our communities but well-being as well. Supporting wellness in our communities is now more important than ever, so UFA will fortify our investments in the area of mental health and wellness. "For the past several years, UFA has been a supporter of 4-H Canada in the development of their Healthy Living Initiative, providing resources to empower youth in their well-being, including in the area of mental health," says Kimberly MacDonald, Community Investment Manager at UFA. "At UFA we recognize the unique role 4-H plays supporting youth in the development of leadership skills and resilience, something more important now than ever, and would like to announce an additional $15K donation to help ensure the resources are available when youth need it most."

UFA will also donate an additional $10K to The Do More Ag Foundation, who continue to champion the well-being of Canadian Producers. Their vision includes supporting a culture in Agriculture where producers are encouraged, empowered and supported to take care of their mental well-being.