London Drugs Celebrates Canada 150 by Supporting 150 New Canadian Families

RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - May 19, 2017) - Canadian retailer, London Drugs, today launched #Welcoming150, a special program and donation drive that will support 150 new Canadian families across Western Canada who left their country of origin sometimes due to unsafe circumstances. As part of celebrating Canada 150, the program will support families identified as still-in-need by participating agencies in the various markets where London Drugs stores are located.

Starting May 19, people can visit their local London Drugs to learn about the families adopted by that particular store, and donate items based on the specific needs of those families. Items collected will then be delivered to the participating 150 families across Western Canada before Canada Day on July 1, 2017.

"Welcoming and helping newcomers distinguishes what makes Canada great and so we are very excited to launch and facilitate this support program in all London Drugs stores in June, across Western Canada," said Clint Mahlman, executive vice president and chief operating officer, London Drugs. "As a proud family-owned 72-year-old Canadian company, we will also be contributing corporately, alongside the donations from our customers and staff to ensure each family's immediate needs are met."

Each London Drugs location will celebrate and support their families in individual ways and demonstrate Canadian pride during the donation drive.

"We are grateful to London Drugs for offering a program like this to continue to support refugee families primarily from Syria, Iraq, Somalia and Eritrea," said Patricia Woroch, CEO, ISSofBC. "We are still seeing great needs from many of the families we work with across B.C. While it's encouraging to see many of these people thrive as new residents of Canada, it is important that we don't forget about those who do need more time to adjust to such a significant change."

The Continued Need for Refugee Support

According to Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia, there is continued need amongst refugee families across Canada. Items needed currently include:

• Hygiene products such as soap, shampoo, deodorant, tooth paste, etc.
• Kitchen wares such as dishes, cutlery, cooking utensils, small appliances, etc.
• Linens for the kitchen, bath and bedroom.
• Food including snacks, cooking oil, rice, pasta, flour, cereal, juice, etc.
• Cleaning supplies including laundry soap, broom, dust pan, iron, etc.
• Family needs such as books, games or puzzles.

The inspiration behind #Welcoming150 is two-fold. First, it provides continued support for new Canadian families who come from unsafe backgrounds. Second, it honours the legacy of Tong Louie, whose family acquired London Drugs in 1945 and grew the company to what it is today. In 1914, Tong Louie was born to an immigrant Chinese family who owned a wholesale food business. Tong Louie and the Louie family have been instrumental in shaping today's retail industry in Canada.

To learn more about the #Welcoming150, the families, and how you can support, please visit http://www.londondrugs.com/welcoming150.

ABOUT LONDON DRUGS

Founded in 1945, B.C.-based London Drugs has 79 stores in more than 35 major markets throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba including its online store www.londondrugs.com London Drugs offers consumers a range of products from digital cameras and cosmetics to computers and televisions. Renowned for its creative approach to retailing, the company employs more than 7,000 people with pharmacy and health care services being the heart of its business. Committed to innovation and superior customer service, London Drugs has established itself as a reputable and caring company and continues to position itself for future growth and development.

ABOUT IMMIGRANT SERVICES SOCIETY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Starting a new life in another country can be very hard, especially when you're unfamiliar with the culture, language and laws. If you're new to Canada, ISSofBC can help. Since 1972, we've been providing a variety of support services for immigrants and refugees to help them get settled, find careers and learn all they need to know about starting their new lives in Canada. Through our dedicated staff, volunteers and community partners, we provide settlement, education and employment services for over 25,000 clients every year. ISSofBC is the largest agency of its kind in Western Canada, with targeted programs for refugees, women, children and youth, plus support services in over 45 languages. Our programs and services are available throughout Metro Vancouver, Squamish and the Okanagan. Learn more at https://issbc.org/.