Community has always been an important ingredient for COWS ice cream. A beloved staple across PEI, its stores have attracted young people to work summers there for generations and Islanders have sampled its sweet treats countless times over the company’s 36 years in operation. COWS also has a strong reputation for donating to community events in PEI and in other parts of the country where it has locations, including Whistler, Banff, Niagara-on-the-lake, Quebec City and Halifax.

In 2018, after a young employee in PEI took his own life, COWS launched “Moo, let’s talk” – as a memorial to the 22-year old – and to raise awareness for the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and start conversations about mental health. The results were incredible. March isn’t normally a busy time for ice cream, but people arrived in droves to support Moo, let’s talk, helping COWS raise more than $30,000 for CMHA in just one day. It’s now an annual event.

For COWS vice president, Chad Heron, having so many in the community come and talk about their experiences made everyone proud – staff and customers. “Seeing the number of people who had been directly impacted by mental health issues come in to get ice cream and share their stories was amazing. People are looking for avenues to speak about mental health and remove the stigma. It was unbelievably moving. I think about it all the time."

Further reading

Seeing the number of people who had been directly impacted by mental health issues come in to get some ice cream and share their stories was amazing. People are looking for avenues to speak about mental health and remove the stigma. It was unbelievably moving.


Chad Heron
Vice President, COWS Inc.

 

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