Canadian Taylor Swift fans fundraising for food banks with 'Tay it forward' campaign

Months before Taylor Swift's massively popular Eras Tour arrives in Canada, local fans have launched an ambitious nationwide fundraiser in the superstar's name.

Food Banks Canada's "Tay it Forward" campaign was the brainchild of Heidi Van Schaik, a Swiftie who took inspiration from the singer's own philanthropic endeavors.

"Taylor herself has been donating to food banks in the cities that she's been doing her concerts in, so the idea kind of came from that," said Van Shaik, of Waterloo, Ont.

The fundraiser has a lofty goal of collecting $1.3 million – chosen because 13 is Swift's favourite number, and one she used to draw on her hand before performances.

"We're suggesting that people do a donation of $13, so we aren't asking for a lot," Van Schaik added. "We know millions of people across Canada are struggling – food insecurity has become a huge issue."

The fundraiser also closes on Dec. 13 – Swift's birthday – which is a few days after the singer's last Canadian tour date.

She's scheduled to perform in Toronto from Nov. 14 to 22, then in Vancouver from Dec. 6 to 8.

While many disappointed Swifties were either unable to find or afford tickets to her sold-out shows, Van Schaik suggested fans could still celebrate the tour by donating to a good cause.

"This is something – regardless of where you were, whether you had tickets or not – you could be part of this and feel like you were (part of) something bigger," she said.

The campaign had collected approximately $2,600 as of Thursday morning.

Earlier this week, Swift made headlines endorsing Kamala Harris for U.S. president, following reports of an AI-generated video appearing to show the singer expressing support for Donald Trump. 

"The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth," she wrote on social media.

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Yasmin Gandham