After playing two sold-out shows at Toronto’s Rogers Centre, American rock band Metallica donated $40,000 to the city’s Daily Bread Food Bank.
Its philanthropy foundation, All Within My Hands, said the move is meant to offer help to many families across the city during this crucial time.
“Learning that there is widespread food insecurity in Toronto reminds us just how many people are faced with making tough decisions and need assistance,” Renée Richardson, the foundation’s director, said in a Monday news release.
Food insecurity has been on the rise in Toronto for the past four years, so much so that Mayor Olivia Chow declared it an emergency in December 2024.
While the U.S. has delayed tariffs on some Canadian goods until April 2, Toronto food banks are still bracing for worst case scenarios. They say if the tariffs are imposed, it could lead to even more strain on the city’s food bank systems. CBC’s Tyler Cheese has the story.
More than one in 10 people in Toronto now rely on food banks, according to Daily Bread’s 2024 Who’s Hungry report.
Additionally, from January to March of this year, Daily Bread member food banks saw 903,350 client visits, which is four times the number of visits in the same period in 2020, the non-profit says.
Neil Hetherington, CEO of Daily Bread Food Bank, says the band’s donation will help the organization feed more Torontonians.
“Right now, far too many are struggling, and these funds will help support food bank clients as the hunger crisis in our city reaches an all-time high,” he said in the release.
Through this donation, Daily Bread is hoping to provide around 40,000 meals to communities across Toronto, which is about one meal for every dollar donated.
This is Metallica’ second donation to Daily Bread. In November 2016, the band donated all proceeds from their show at The Opera House to the food bank.
Along with their donation to Daily Bread, the Metallica foundation is helping support Nellie’s, a women’s shelter in the city’s east end, with another $40,000 donation.
