Just when we thought we couldn’t love Ryan Reynolds any more, the Canadian actor has teamed up with outerwear brand Canada Goose for an incredibly important reason. Today, Canada Goose announced that together with Reynolds and footwear brand Baffin, they are donating over 300 parkas and pairs of footwear to the students at the Inuujaq School in Arctic Bay, Nunavit.
Reynolds heard that the students at the school did not have access to proper outerwear as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which saw shipments to the Northern community (which sits above the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island and is one of the most Northern hamlets in Nunavut) drastically reduced. Upon hearing this, he reached out to Canada Goose immediately. “It came to my attention that students at Inuujaq School in Arctic Bay were going without adequate winter clothing. Of course, it highlights a larger issue of basic needs going unmet in Canada’s northern communities,” Reynolds said in a release, adding that he reached out to Canada Goose to “match me in providing these students with essential winter gear.” He continued, “They not only said yes in under 30 seconds but went so far above and beyond matching me. I’m deeply inspired and grateful.”
Gregg Durrant, the principal at Inuujaq School, said that the generous donation from Reynolds and Canada Goose is a gift that “will be remembered for years to come.” He said the school’s mission “is to promote the skills, confidence and cultural pride in our students so they can pursue their dreams, realize their ambitions, become life-long learners and contribute to their community” and noted that “living in a northern community, access to almost everything is limited and this has been accentuated by the impact of COVID-19.” He concluded by saying, “We are so appreciative of the warmth Ryan and Canada Goose have shown our students.”
In addition to the donation, Canada Goose has also today announced the expansion of its Resource Centre Program in partnership with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the national representational organization for Inuit in Canada. To date, Canada Goose has donated over one million metres of fabric and material to northern communities to assist in parka making. Now, the program will see the company donate repurposed parkas (many of which have been upcycled through the brand’s warranty program) to the four regions of Inuit Nunangat.
Natan Obed, the president of ITK, said that “this contribution will help ensure that families have what they need to celebrate our winter weather with gear that is appropriate to our climate and supportive of our way of life. Inuit have survived since time immemorial crafting clothing from materials found in our environment. But we know that not all families have access to handmade or traditionally made parkas. This initiative will support those in our communities who need it most.”
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