'We're speechless': Jets donate $100K to Winnipeg Harvest as needs rise due to COVID-19

The Winnipeg Jets may be social distancing and waiting out COVID-19 like the rest of us, but players are also donating $100,000 to help Winnipeg Harvest confront the growing needs of the community.

Jets players announced the donation on Friday — the same day Premier Brian Pallister declared a state of emergency —at a time when the food bank is experiencing volunteer and food donation shortages.

"We're speechless, our players are wonderful," said Colleen McVarish, Winnipeg Harvest assistant director of development.

"If they were here we'd probably all give them hugs, if we were allowed to — it would be a six-feet hug."

On March 12, the NHL suspended the remainder of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns. Four days later, McVarish's phone rang.

The wife of a Jets player contacted McVarish Tuesday to let her know money was coming to help Winnipeg Harvest.

The food bank feeds about 70,000 Manitobans monthly, a third of those children, and the place is in high demand at the best of times.

But as the province announced the first cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba last week, Winnipeg Harvest began to get more requests for food while simultaneously seeing a dip in its volunteer pool and donations.

Jets players and their families have made donations and helped spearhead food drives for Winnipeg Harvest in the past.

McVarish said the new donation is one of the largest from a single group in several years and will go toward operations and purchase costs for food hampers.

"I'm a big Jets fan," said McVarish. "I have no words."

Winnipeg Harvest is still in need of donations and accepts e-transfers through their website. They also still need more volunteers and have a protocol in the works to ensure people only come to pitch in if they aren't sick.