#eatAbeet 2022 – What happened?
On January 28, 2022, the Hamilton Professional Fire Fighters Association (HPFFA) – Local 288, launched the #eatAbeet social media challenge to help raise funds & awareness for Food4Kids Hamilton (and to “beet” childhood hunger in the City).
The HPFFA started the campaign with a $5,000 donation and with the help of Tandia Financial Credit Union, who sponsored the fundraiser and matched that amount, the goal of $50,000 was that much closer.
The #eatAbeet campaign challenged Hamiltonians to eat a beet (raw, cooked, pickled, canned, juiced…it didn’t matter), post a video or photo to social media, donate $25 (or whatever they could) to Food4Kids Hamilton and challenge other people in the community.
As of February 21, the campaign came to a close having raised over $42,000 and received incredible exposure throughout the City thanks to positive support from our friends in the media and on many social media platforms. Since the close of the campaign, additional funds have been donated, with the fundraiser closing in on the $50,000 goal. Thank you to all the Hamiltonians, HPFFA members, family and friends who participated, donated and helped to promote this charity and important cause.
What does the $50,000 do for Food4Kids Hamilton? Those funds cover all food costs for one month for 1360 registered students in the Food4Kids Hamilton program. This will ensure a healthy food package each weekend for those students with 5 fruits/vegetables and 10 other items (such as a protein, bag of bagels, soup, cereal, etc.). (As donations creep towards $50,000, the closer we are to the full cost for one month being covered is realized).
Check out the CHCH Morning Live with Tim Bolen and CHCH News with Sean Cowan coverage of the #eatAbeet Challenge here.
The #eatAbeet Hamilton School Contest
In addition to the #eatAbeet Challenge fundraiser, the HPFFA Local 288 hosted a special Hamilton school contest in which submissions were entered to win $6000 in prizes for classrooms, programs, teams, clubs, etc. Over 30 entries were posted. The schools, students & staff did such amazing work that the HPFFA increased the prizes to $8000! The winners include:
1st Place for $3,000 – St. Michael Catholic Elementary School
2nd Place for $2,000 – Franklin Road Elementary School
3rd Place (tie) $1,000 each – Spring Valley School and Cathedral High School
Honourary Mentions $500 each – St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School and Guy B. Brown Elementary School
*Please visit the Food4Kids Hamilton web-site to view these winning videos.
Just because the campaign is over, doesn’t mean the need for #eatAbeet stops. The beet can continue to roll on. People can continue to post videos and photos. Donations are always needed. There are 1360 children who need the help of the Hamilton community and #eatAbeet can last forever.
Food4Kids Hamilton currently facilitates programs in 63 Hamilton elementary schools and 10 Hamilton high schools. Each week, these schools receive 1,360 packages of healthy food to distribute to children enrolled in the program. During COVID-19 when children are not in school, Food4Kids Hamilton mails grocery cards to registered children.
Together, we can BEET childhood hunger in Hamilton.
