National Retailer Steps Up to Assist Local Charity in Uncertain Times

While economic stress and uncertainty is prompting Canadians to scale back on charitable giving, national retailer Leon’s Furniture Limited is pushing back against the trend with a $10,000 donation to Port Cares’ Reach Out Centre Food Bank in Port Colborne for the purchase of food for families in need.

Earlier this week Ipsos – a global leader in market research and polling released its findings on Canadians and charitable giving. The Ipsos’ poll reveals that due to strong economic headwinds, tariffs and the fears of recession 53percent of Canadians are likely to reduce their charitable donations this year due to economic pressures making it harder for charitable organizations to meet their mandates.

“We are very concerned about what lies ahead. Comparing the first five months of 2025 to the same period last year, we experienced a 20 per cent decline in donations. The need for charitable services like the food bank and meals isn’t shrinking due to the high cost of living including housing and food inflation. It isn’t a surprise that community donors have less capacity to give whether its funds or donating food,” says Christine Clark Lafleur, CEO of Port Cares a local independent charity serving south Niagara.

“More and more vulnerable families are having to rely on charities like Port Cares to get by,” says Clark Lafleur. “When Mr. Leon showed up this week with a $10,000 gift for the Reach Out Centre food bank I felt like Christmas came early and my sense of hope was renewed.”

Mr. Leon, as one of the many members of the Leon family residing in the local presented the donation to Port Cares to purchase food for distribution through the food bank. “Leon’s Furniture asks other area businesses to give whatever they can to support Port Cares in their mission to help ease the hardships that many of our citizens are going through. Over six generations of Niagara citizens have shopped at our stores beginning in 1909 in Welland. Our support of Port Cares is a small way of saying thank you for the important contributions that Port Cares and its many volunteers make to our friends and neighbours,” says Mr. Leon. “Canada’s continued support of our company has allowed Leon’s to become Canada’s largest retailer of home furnishings and appliances. To those of us who are in blessed positions, we encourage anyone who can afford to give to do so to ensure no child goes hungry in our community.”

So far in the first five months of 2025, Port Cares has distributed more than 5,838 hot meals to local low-income residents – children and adults, provided more than4,502 lunches to low-income school age children and supported 2,389 food bank visits.

“Port Cares is so fortunate that Leon’s Furniture has never overlooked the company’s local roots. With so many deserving charities seeking their support, Leon’s Furniture and the Leon’s family have continually stepped up to help fund our local foodbank.