Hub Staff

A Port Elgin family has just been granted $13,000 from the President’s Choice Children's Charity, a charity that supports children with special needs by providing financial assistance for specialized equipment and therapies as well as childhood nutrition.

“They grant to needy families across the country,” said Scott Rowland, owner of Rowland's Your Independent Grocer in Port Elgin.

Rowland said that as part of the Loblaw companies, Rowland's raises money for the charity through their President’s Choice Icon Sale, which they usually run twice a year, in the Spring and again in the Fall. “We ask customers to donate a dollar or two dollars to their bill,” said Rowland, explaining that the money collected then gets pooled with other funds from across the country. “We were fortunate enough to have a local family be granted $13,000 for a wheelchair accessible van,” he said, adding that the family wishes to remain anonymous.

“It's a local family so we'd just like to thank our customers for supporting the President’s Choice Children’s Charity and to let them know that the money does come back to the community.” Rowland explained that this was the second grant to a local family in two years. The first one, worth $4,500, was last year. “So you add the two together and that's $17,500 that's come back into this community.”

Rowland said that due to the large need, there is certain criteria that has to be met in order to be eliglble. For more information or to apply online, visit the President’s Choice Children’s Charity application page.