CBC’s ‘Make the Season Kind’ Holiday Drives Raise Over $9 Million for Local Food Banks across Canada

CBC today announced that $9,024,359.72 has been raised for local food banks as a result of the public broadcaster’s December 2023 fundraising drives in communities across the country, an increase of 12% over the December 2022 total. Twenty-six CBC holiday campaigns in regions across Canada encouraged donations under the banner of Make the Season Kind, and featured special events and programming for local audiences. This year’s efforts reinforce CBC’s legacy of supporting and strengthening communities across the country through annual holiday fundraisers for food banks and other charities. 

Nearly seven million Canadians struggled with hunger in 2022, with some going without food for days (Source), and the need is even more acute during the holiday season. Since 2015, CBC’s local fundraising drives have collectively raised more than $51 million for food banks and other charities.

“With the number of people in Canada relying on food banks now higher than ever before, we are grateful for the remarkable generosity of CBC audiences,” said Barbara Williams, Executive Vice-President, CBC. “Each December, CBC teams across the country open their doors to viewers and listeners across the country to connect, support and give back to their local communities. Thank you to everyone who donated and to our local teams for making the season kind.”

In December 2023, CBC’s 26 holiday campaigns were as unique as the regions where they took place, including: a holiday market in Montreal; a turkey drive in Happy Valley-Goose Bay; Sounds of the Season across Ontario with the flagship public event at the CBC Toronto Broadcast Centre; and special programming days from Edmonton to Iqaluit, and from Regina to Moncton.

For more information on CBC’s Make the Season Kind fundraising drives including local CBC events, food banks and regional results, visit cbc.ca/kindness. 

Photos from local CBC fundraising events are available here. Credit: Courtesy of CBC.

A sizzle reel about CBC’s holiday campaigns is available here and on YouTube here.

About CBC/Radio-Canada

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.