Developer Ryan Beedie and wife Cindy Beedie's philanthropic Stanley Park concert on the weekend raised $2.5 million for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank (GVFB), Ryan Beedie told BIV Tuesday morning.
He explained that the approximately 3,000 attendees at the Aug. 23 concert, which featured Def Leppard and others, raised about $1.15 million. He then more than matched that amount to get the total to the round number of $2.5 million, he said.
That amount exceeded the previous record of $2 million for the food bank from a Beedie concert. That was the haul at the 2023 concert, when Beedie double-matched attendees' donations.
Beedie said Lululemon founder Chip Wilson gave a "generous" donation but it was one for which he would not disclose the amount.
Some other big donors this year included Artemis Gold Inc. (CSE:ARTG) executive chair and director Steven Dean, who donated $50,000. Beedie is Artemis Gold's largest shareholder.
AbCellera CFO Andrew Booth donated $25,000. Gold Royalty director Tim Young and Bar Olo owner Owen Louis each donated $20,000. Attendees who each donated $10,000 included ZLC Financial Co. CEO Garry Zlotnick, Joey Restaurant Group CEO Jeff Fuller, independent corporate director Perry Staniscia, Femo Construction Ltd. president Emilio Zanna and Westbridge Capital Group principal Rob King.
"Many people gave $5,000 each," he said.
Beedie financed many food trucks and kiosks as well as drinks for attendees. He also paid the bands.
Some other charities set up booths, such as the Kidney Foundation of Canada and the ONE campaign.
Beedie said that the GVFB has been one of his chosen charities for years in part because it is immediately clear to people where donated money goes.
"You can see it in your head that the money is going to feed people. It's going to feed kids. It's going to not just feed them, but feed them healthy, nutritious meals," he said.
The GVFB publicly discloses its finances, including how it spends donations. Last year, it generated $41,582,927 in funds and distributed $35,165,151 of that money, according to its records. The $6,417,776 surplus will help the GVFB "navigate unprecedented circumstances and the anticipated growing demand for the years to come," it added.
Of the funds the GVFB generated last year, $17,170,484 came from donated food and other products with $14,268,848 coming from what its balance sheet describes as "public support."
GVFB CEO David Long told BIV Tuesday afternoon that about half of public donations come in the form of food with the rest being in cash.
"A $2.5-million donation is absolutely massive for us," he said.
"We rely on the public and corporate donations to keep doing the work that we do."
Only $1,560,027 of the GVFB's revenue comes from foundations and government grants. Slightly more than that comes from its investments and other income.
Long said one recent GVFB entrepreneurial initiative was to convert donated apples into apple juice and to sell that juice via Loblaw Companies Ltd. (TSX:L) grocery stores.
Profit from that initiative was earmarked to pay for transportation and other costs related to swapping surplus fresh vegetables with a food bank in Regina in exchange for surplus lentils and oats.
Beedie's Stanley Park concerts evolve through the years
This year's event featured bands at the main stage at Malkin Bowl as well as a secondary stage in an area a short walk to the north. Musical acts on the main stage included headliner Def Leppard, which followed Foster The People, the Beaches, the Hooters and Chilliwack. Some of the other bands at the secondary stage included Toque, Garret T. Willie, Howling Bells and Dr. Strangelove.
Beedie started holding concerts at Stanley Park's Malkin Bowl in 2016, when Huey Lewis and the News headlined the event. Other bands included Metric, Sam Roberts Band, Magic and Honeymoon Suite.
He credits Jason Tonin, now executive vice-president of land development at Beedie's development company, Beedie, with coming up with the idea for the concerts at what had been a simple company picnic. The concept was to do something similar to Ozzfest, which was a music festival tour founded by former Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, Beedie said.
"I thought it was a great idea," Beedie said in a post Monday on LinkedIn.
Originally, the concert was a way of thanking employees and tenants, he added.
His July 7, 2018, party had a lineup headlined by the Goo Goo Dolls, with other acts including Fitz & the Tantrums, The Bangles, Loverboy and Dear Rouge.
The COVID-19 pandemic pushed the next concert to September 2021, when The Killers were the headline act, preceded by Billy Idol. Metric, Sir Sly, 54-40 and Bitterly Divine also played.
In 2023, Bryan Adams was the headliner. He followed Blondie, Inhaler, Belinda Carlisle and Dear Rouge.
Beedie said his plan is to host the next concert in 2027.
