THE generosity of British Columbians was on display at CBC / Radio-Canada’s Open House & Food Bank Day, which raised a record-breaking $802,049 for food banks in B.C.

Over 3,500 people attended the annual open house at CBC Vancouver’s Broadcast Centre to tour the newsroom and studios, watch live broadcasts, listen to musical performances and meet their favourite CBC / Radio-Canada hosts and reporters. Countless others joined from across the province to catch special Radio One broadcasts from CBC Vancouver and other B.C. stations, and to donate over the phone and online.

“While we wish that not a single family in B.C. relied on food banks, we are moved by the great generosity of our community as they come together in support of their neighbours,” says Johnny Michel, Senior Managing Director of CBC British Columbia and Alberta.

Including this recent total, Open House and Food Bank Day has raised over $7 million for food banks across the province in recent years.

CBC network personalities Andrew Chang, co-host of The National, and Erica Johnson of Go Public joined local personalities including Rick Cluff, Stephen Quinn, Gloria Macarenko, Johanna Wagstaffe and Sheryl Mackay to welcome the community into the CBC Vancouver Broadcast Centre. Attendees also participated in tours of the integrated CBC / Radio-Canada newsroom and radio studios, and watched special live broadcasts of Radio One programs featuring musical guests such as Chor Leoni Men’s Choir, The Sojourners, Jill Barber, Company B Jazz Band and Rich Hope and the Yuletide Wailers.