Jets players donate $100,000 to local food organization amid COVID-19

Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler (26) and centre Mark Scheifele (55) celebrate Wheeler's goal against the St. Louis Blues. (John Woods/CP)

Players from the Winnipeg Jets are donating $100,000 to a local food organization which helps people in need have something to eat.

Forward Mark Scheifele posted about the initiative Friday on Twitter, saying he felt the need to donate to Winnipeg Harvest Inc., after the support shown by the city and its fans.

Scheifele, currently in his ninth season with the Jets, says he and his teammates understand it’s currently a difficult time for many and that there’s a lot of people struggling.

“With classrooms closed, where kids rely on school meals to be fed, and so many businesses shut, leaving people out of work – there’s a lot of uncertainty where members of our community will get their next meal from,” Scheifele’s post said.

The economic impacts of COVID-19, a global pandemic which has halted the NHL season indefinitely, has hit Canadians hard with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing earlier Tuesday that over 500,000 people have applied for employment insurance over the past week.

Winnipeg Harvest Inc., recently posted on its website that any donations were greatly appreciated in the midst of the novel coronavirus.

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