Causes we support

Viva donates drinkware to Salvation Army

Its Emma and Laura Anytime Cups will be used in various ministry units

TORONTO, Ontario — Viva, the Toronto-based Scandinavian teaware maker, is marking International Charity Day on Sept. 5 with its gift to an agency assisting Canada’s most vulnerable.

The company recently donated 17,000 drinkware products to the Ontario chapter of the Salvation Army.

“These items will be used in our ministry units — shelters, churches, hostels and our offices — to help us provide services to our clients while helping us to reduce waste, minimize costs and achieve one of our key sustainability goals of moving away from disposable products, especially single-use plastics,” said Dan Millar, divisional director of Community Partnerships and Divisional Emergency Disaster Services director. “Salvation Army is very appreciative of the donation.”

In total, up to 50 ministries supporting 120 locations distributed all across Ontario from Thunder Bay to Niagara Falls will benefit from the donation of Emma and Laura Anytime Cups valued at $280,000. The Salvation Army’s mission includes among, other goals, supporting people who are homeless and those facing food insecurity.

“The community who buys our products has helped drive our success, and we feel it’s important to support that community in return however we can. It’s a virtuous circle. It’s important for businesses such as ours to recognize that,” said Viva founder Peng Lin.