Today we revisit one of our earlier shows where we discuss about child hunger and talk with Tanya Koshowski, Executive Director of Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids.

Hunger in Alberta and Calgary is a reality. In Alberta, among households with children, 16.7% under the age of 18 lived under the poverty threshold...and that number has only increased during the pandemic. Visits to the Calgary Food Bank have gone up by 44% since 2019.

For many parents, economic hardship has become the new reality. Many who once had a secure financial foundation are now struggling to put food on the table. Working poor families and single-parent families are at particular risk of food insecurity.

One organization making a difference is Brown Bagging for Calgary's Kids.

Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids (BB4CK) has one goal: no hungry kids in Calgary. They strive toward this goal each day by providing over 5,000 healthy lunches directly to kids every day, and by empowering communities to create lasting social change. Their K-12 School Lunch program is in over 200 schools in Calgary.

BB4CK exists because they believe that everyone has the power and the responsibility to take meaningful action that improves their community. This action could be large or small – holding a door open, cooking food for a neighboring family, making a large donation or time commitment, and so many others. Any of these are opportunities to make an impact and build a stronger community. Every meaningful action makes a difference.

While in Calgary, Adrian and Beverly had the opportunity to visit the main kitchen and talk with Tanya Koshowski, Executive Director of Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids.

We were also fortunate to catch up with Reis, Rey, Lauren, and Madeline, students who are participating in a Youth and Philanthropy Initiative(YPI) project. YPI is an inclusive, multi-award-winning secondary school program that grows compassionate communities by connecting youth to social issues, local charities, and philanthropy at a pivotal stage in their adolescence.