A popular Toronto charity is grateful after rock band Metallica left a generous donation following their two-night tour stop in the city.
Heavy metal legends Metallica announced on Monday that they’ll be donating $40,000 to Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank through their foundation, All Within My Hands (AWMH).
This donation comes days after Metallica’s sold-out Apr. 24 and 26 shows at the Rogers Centre, an extension of their massive M72 World Tour, marking their first time returning to the city in more than eight years.
The band’s non-profit foundation focuses on supporting local community services and tackling critical issues such as hunger and education.
“Learning that there is widespread food insecurity in Toronto reminds us just how many people are faced with making tough decisions and need assistance,” AWMH Director of Philanthropy Renée Richardson said in a press release on Monday.
“We are thankful Daily Bread is there to bridge the gap for so many families.”
Daily Bread is an organization that aims to eliminate food insecurity and poverty in Toronto, offering meals that take approximately $1 to produce.
CEO Neil Hetherington expressed his gratitude for the band’s benevolence, as Metallica’s donation will directly support the organization’s Daily Bread’s mission.
“The city should feel great that there were two amazing concerts, but more importantly, they left a legacy of 40,000 meals,” Hetherington told Now Toronto on Monday.
“You don’t think about artists coming in, having a concert, and then saying, ‘Hey, I want to do something additional.’ And through their foundation, they did something additional. They did something good, and it’s needed and it’s going to be appreciated.”
Hetherington says that today Daily Bread helps more than one in 10 Torontonians in accessing food, as the charity has witnessed a devastating rise in food insecurity within a few years.
“Just before the pandemic, we were sending out about 135,000 to 150,000 meals per week, and now, it’s just under a million,” he said.
“More than 50 per cent have full-time employment. More than 60 per cent have a university or post-secondary education… they’ve gone to school, they got a job, they’re working hard, and yet they need Daily Bread. So, things have changed, and not for the better.”
Daily Bread relies on donations to purchase fresh produce, proteins and dairy for distribution to 205 food programs across the city. Hetherington says as much as Metallica’s donation is appreciated, every cent that the charity receives is equally as important.
“I see the various checks coming in… Somebody might be giving $5 or $10, but it’s a sacrificial gift. And I think we honour that gift as much as we honour the gift of a worldwide, iconic band providing such a substantive gift,” he said.
“My hope is that the band is pleased that we fed the city with these donations, and that they allow us to be vocal and loud about the systemic causes of food insecurity.”
This is the second time Metallica has donated to Daily Bread Food Bank, the first time being in November 2016, when they donated all proceeds from a surprise show at The Opera House.
