Through its evolution, Cormark and its predecessor company has always emphasized its desire to give back to the community. We donate 1% of our pre-tax profit from the previous year to our selected charities. While the Daily Bread Food Bank is our primary charity, we also support a wide range of causes. Greater emphasis is placed on smaller organizations where we feel we can have meaningful impact and make a difference.
Cormark has been involved with the Daily Bread Food Bank for over 5 years and is now the Daily Bread’s single largest financial donor. Over that period, Cormark’s donations have contributed to the purchasing of food, ongoing operations, mortgage retirement and the newly launched Sue Cox Community Action Fund. While based in Toronto, the Daily Bread Food Bank provides us with national involvement in a very worthwhile cause.
Daily Bread Food Bank
“Cormark has been a strong supporter of the Daily Bread Food Bank's work in the community. They have helped to ensure that we have had food in times of need and the means to get it to those who need it the most.
In 2002, Cormark responded to an urgent need for food by organizing a trading day at which their traders waived their customary fees, with proceeds of $200,000 going to the Daily Bread Food Bank.
In 2004, Cormark offered the Daily Bread Food Bank a tremendous opportunity to raise the necessary funds to pay off their $800,000 mortgage balance. Cormark offered to match $400,000 of donations from October 2004 to December 2004 to help Toronto's food bank become mortgage-free.
Scott Lamacraft, Cormark’s chief executive officer, said that the Cormark Challenge is meant to serve as a carrot. To try to get the food bank to raise its profile in the business community.
“The idea is to help them reach out in a more aggressive way than they have in the past. We hope this allows them to build a platform for future fundraising.”
The Daily Bread Food Bank was able to retire their mortgage as a direct result of this challenge.
In 2006, Cormark was also proud to be a founder and leading supporter of Daily Bread's Sue Cox Community Action Fund. Its generous donation to the Sue Cox Community Action Fund has helped ensure that the hungry have some place to turn to for food relief programs in the community and supports grants that are made to Daily Bread Food Bank's member agencies. So far, a total of 27 agencies have been assisted through the Sue Cox Community Action Fund, allowing them to continue their operations in the community and remain vital.
We thank Cormark for their leadership and support. And for being a valued friend.”
