Manitoba

'We're speechless': Jets donate $100K to Winnipeg Harvest as needs rise due to COVID-19

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Harvest has seen volunteer, donation shortage since coronavirus arrived in province

Winnipeg Harvest is working to keep operations going during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Jets players are helping out with a $100,000 donation. (CBC)

The Winnipeg Jets may be social distancing and waiting out COVID-19 like the rest of us, but players are also donating $100,000 to help Winnipeg Harvest confront the growing needs of the community.

Jets players announced the donation on Friday — the same day Premier Brian Pallister declared a state of emergency —at a time when the food bank is experiencing volunteer and food donation shortages.

"We're speechless, our players are wonderful," said Colleen McVarish, Winnipeg Harvest assistant director of development.

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"If they were here we'd probably all give them hugs, if we were allowed to — it would be a six-feet hug."

On March 12, the NHL suspended the remainder of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns. Four days later, McVarish's phone rang.

The wife of a Jets player contacted McVarish Tuesday to let her know money was coming to help Winnipeg Harvest.

The food bank feeds about 70,000 Manitobans monthly, a third of those children, and the place is in high demand at the best of times.

But as the province announced the first cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba last week, Winnipeg Harvest began to get more requests for food while simultaneously seeing a dip in its volunteer pool and donations.

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Jets players and their families have made donations and helped spearhead food drives for Winnipeg Harvest in the past.

McVarish said the new donation is one of the largest from a single group in several years and will go toward operations and purchase costs for food hampers.

"I'm a big Jets fan," said McVarish. "I have no words."

Winnipeg Harvest is still in need of donations and accepts e-transfers through their website. They also still need more volunteers and have a protocol in the works to ensure people only come to pitch in if they aren't sick.