CALGARY -- A new kind of care package featuring food and other locally-produced goodies was introduced by Alberta Food Tours Thursday. It's called the Alberta Cares Package, and has been curated in such a way that makes it easy to send Canada-wide to someone who might need a boost.

It's the latest culinary outreach from Karen Anderson, whose popular Alberta Food Tours were forced into furlough when the pandemic hit back in March.

Instead, Anderson has taken her talent for promoting the Alberta food scene online, first by creating a the Alberta Food Finder app and now through the Alberta Cares Package.

"The box is inspired by the fact Alberta has the second-highest sucide rate in Canada, and youth are among the hardest hit, especially now, during COVID-19," said Anderson, in a release. "Knowing someone cares can decrease the risk of suicide and what better way to show you care than a good old-fashioned care package?"

According to an opinion piece by Christopher Primeau of the Impact Society of Calgary published by Postmedia in October, in 2018 almost 600 children under the age of 14 were admitted to hospital after a suicide attempt while more than 90 per cent of people who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder.

For $79, a package includes:

ABT

A portion of the proceeds will go to two Alberta Youth Programs, Calgary's Impact Society, who work with vulnerable youth and Edmonton's Typ Top Bakery, which employs young people between 15 and 24, while offering a safe and accessible community they can feel a part of.

Shipments will start Tuesday, Nov. 17. Buyers can also pick up boxes in northwest Calgary to avoid shipping charges.