Child lunch program in need of volunteers this school year

As the school year nears, Brownbagging for Calgary's Kids (BB4CK) is looking for as many helping hands as it can get.

 

The organization relies heavily on volunteers to make healthy lunches and transport them to more than 200 schools all over the city.

 

BB4CK executive director Bethany Ross says in June 2022, the organization was feeding 5,400 kids every day and she's anticipating those same numbers for September.

 

"Right now, the need for drivers is significant," said Ross.

 

"It is about an hour-and-a-half commitment, kind of nine, 9:30 till about 11, and it's a great opportunity if folks like driving, they can really connect to a couple schools and make sure that those kids get access to the food they need."

 

Ross says drivers need to have their own vehicle — any size will do.

 

"It doesn't need to be a huge vehicle. We have some folks who are delivering bins to schools in just a little hatchback, so we can always make that work," she said.

 

"Drivers do pay for their own gas. We know that that's a little bit expensive right now so it might not be the best fit for everybody, but it's an important role and for folks that can, it's a great way to help."

 

Glen Fischer has been a volunteer driver for five years. He's at BB4CK's downtown location once a week and delivers to four or seven schools on his one shift, then brings the empty containers back.

 

"I choose to volunteer with things I have a passion for and one of my passions is people eating food," said Fischer. 

 

"So when you hear about kids that don't have a lunch or haven't eaten before they come to school, that really gets to me, so this was an easy choice to start working with BB4CK."

 

Ross says BB4CK has 33 kitchens it operates out of all over the city, and each lunch is made by volunteers.

 

Sherry Leung is retired and in her fourth year volunteering at BB4CK.

 

"I retired as a teacher, so I know what it's like for students to be hungry and I see it," she said. 

 

"I can see the benefits of what I do. (It) has an immediate effect on children."

 

Leung likes the early morning shift that starts at 6:30. She works for about four hours and has printed lists of what kinds of lunches each school is requesting.

 

"I pack the order — whatever the school orders," Leung said. 

 

"Whatever type of sandwich they want and the number of sandwiches, and I put them into the bins and then the drivers take them out around 9:15."

 

Ross says donations are always welcome, but she's hopeful more people will help out with some sweat equity to assist the 300 current volunteers at the organization.

 

"It's such a great opportunity to just be part of your community and connect with folks and really feel like these lunches that I made today or these lunches that I drove and delivered today, they're getting eaten by a child today who would otherwise not have access to the food they need," she said. 

 

"So the impact is pretty immediate."

 

More information about BB4CK is available at www.bb4ck.org.