HEXO co-founders, Wu-Tang Clan pitch in to help Ottawa Food Bank

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The Ottawa Food Bank is getting a boost from one of Canada’s largest cannabis producers and one of the world’s most influential hip-hop groups.

In a video posted earlier this week on Twitter, Michael Maidment, the CEO of the Ottawa Food Bank, said the organization was in need of cash donations.

“We normally have 40,000 people that turn to the food bank every month but that number is rapidly increasing,” Maidment said. “We’re hearing about layoffs in the community every day.”

The video was posted by Ottawa mayor Jim Watson, and also featured Shopify COO Harley Finkelstein, who pledged to donate a dollar for every retweet the video received, up to $10,000.

It wasn’t long before Adam Miron, the co-founder of Hexo, a licensed producer with offices in Ottawa, pledged to donate $10,000 himself. Miron said Hexo CEO, Sébastien St-Louis would also be donating $10,000.

Miron tagged Wu-Tang Clan in his tweet, who performed at the Ottawa Bluesfest last summer.

The iconic group responded shortly after. “We got you @AdamMiron @OttawaFoodbank. Just made a donation ourselves. Appreciate Canada holding us down all these years.”

Within 24 hours, the food bank had received more than $170,000 in donations.

In an interview with CTV Ottawa, Ottawa food bank communications manager Samantha Ingram said that $170,000 will cover about a week’s worth of food for just under 25,000 people.

As of Friday morning, the donations were continuing to arrive.

The Ottawa Food Bank was formed in 1984 and functions as the city’s only central food collection, warehouse, and distribution centre, according to its website. On average, they distribute 14 tons of food daily.

“It’s going to be tough times ahead but this is the kind of stuff that gives me hope,” Maidment told CBC.

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