An Unexpected Gift In January
Partners Host Dinner for Homeless & Low Income Families in Langley

SURREY (January 15, 2007) – The Salvation Army Langley South, Nando’s - known for its flame-grilled chicken - and Rogers OMNI TV BC will host a free dinner for the homeless and low-income families Wednesday, January 17th at the Royal Canadian Legion in Langley.  

This initiative is part of OMNI Television’s Unexpected Gift campaign reaching into the community with kindness. The outreach is planned to assist those struggling financially as they face the reality of Christmas debt and those living on the street rationing their resources.

“The dinner by Nando's is timely as many persons who will attend are several weeks from their last Income Assistance payment with still one week to go after the meal before they get their next cheque,” says Gary Johnson, Langley Salvation Army.

“We are hopeful that homeless persons and those who have small families and are tight on their January budgets will be able to come and enjoy a nice hot chicken dinner.” Johnson continued with gratitude by saying, “We are really appreciative of Nando's and their generosity of providing this nourishing meal.”

The meal, donated entirely by Nando’s, will be offered to three hundred residents of Langley. Nando’s staff, OMNI TV volunteers and Salvation Army volunteers will serve the meal, while local talent including OMNI TV’s bhangra team “PANJ”, Surrey musician Peter Williams and Coquitlam musician Chris Grindley-Ferris provide entertainment.

“Nando’s is so pleased that Omni TV approached us with this opportunity,” said Mark Majewski of Nando’s Canada. “Being a restaurant group with a location in the Langley area, we have the opportunity to nourish people all the time – but it's especially rewarding to be able to provide a healthy, tasty meal to those in the community that are less fortunate. We at Nando's feel this event is a great way to make a difference, and we also feel that the Salvation Army is a wonderful organization deserving of much support.”

OMNI BC General Manager Terry Mahoney shares their unique motivation for hosting a community dinner, “OMNI 10 is committed to working with all peoples of all faiths for the betterment of our community.”  “We recognize that every religion holds, as a core value, the principle that honouring our creator is often most clearly and effectively witnessed by how compassionately we care for one another.  As BC's only faith affirming television service, OMNI 10 feels privileged to partner with the Salvation Army and Nando’s to serve our community in this way.”

The Salvation Army hopes the dinner will help to raise awareness of the emerging poverty situation in the Langley area. Currently, more than 110 people are known to be living on the streets in the Langley area, while hundreds live below the poverty level relying on the support of agencies like the Salvation Army for assistance. 

A proposed homeless shelter, supported by the Salvation Army, is intended to alleviate the homeless situation and provide resources for those who wish to make changes in their lives.

About the Salvation Army:
The Salvation Army has a proven track record that goes back over 130 years, and over 120 years in Canada. This has made it one of the world’s largest providers of social services, and one of the most trusted. The organization ministers to the whole person. It strives to be an agent of beneficial change in people’s lives, as well as meet the needs of the moment. In its compassionate concern to exemplify the love of God for a broken world, The Salvation Army seeks to reach out to those most in need in our society, and does so without discrimination except on the basis of need.

In Canada, The Salvation Army has 1,250 active officers (clergy), almost 23,000 soldiers (church members) and over 60,000 adherents, that is, people who claim the Army as their church home, but who are not formal members. There are over 350 corps (churches) and over 150 social service institutions of various kinds. As well as the many thousands of volunteers, almost 11,000 people are employed by The Salvation Army in the Canada and Bermuda Territory. Canadian officers and lay staff also serve overseas in 26 countries from Papua New Guinea to South Africa.

About Nando’s Canada:
Nando’s Canada is a privately owned restaurant group specializing in tasty, flame-grilled peri-peri chicken. With eighteen restaurants in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, Nando's delivers maximum flavour and food quality to health-conscious people. For more information or to find a restaurant near you, visit www.nandoscanada.com.

About Rogers OMNI Television:
Rogers OMNI Television is a free over-the-air system consisting of four regional broadcasters covering nine markets in British Columbia (Victoria, Vancouver, and Fraser Valley), Manitoba (Winnipeg), and Ontario (Ottawa-Gatineau, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton and the Greater Toronto Area). All Rogers OMNI Television stations are owned and operated by Rogers Communications in the Rogers Media division, and have the collective mandate to reflect Canada’s diversity through the airing of inclusive and accessible programming. In addition to specializing in Canadian multicultural, multilingual and multi-faith programming, OMNI TV also carries well-known American and International series and films. 

Media Contacts:
 
Suzanne Smith
OMNI Television BC,
Office: (604) 575-4113
Cell: (604) 418-1735
suzanne.smith@rci.rogers.com

Gary Johnson
Salvation Army Langley South
Office: (604) 604-514-7375
Cell: (778) 839-5955
gary_johnson@can.salvationarmy.org
 
Mark Majewski
Nando’s Canada
Office: (604) 303-0881 ext. 24
Cell: (604) 771-7558
markm@nandoscanada.com