United Way BC’s Food Hub in Clearwater Supports Kids & Youth at Christmas
On a foggy day in late December, a light layer of snow framed the Yellowhead Highway leading to the Municipality of Clearwater, an hour and a half’s drive from Kamloops.
With only a few days to go until Christmas, the reason for this journey was special: A Holiday Meal at Clearwater Secondary School, supported by the Clearwater Food Hub, one of the 23 Food Hubs that were developed across BC as part of the United Way BC Regional Community Food Hub Initiative.
On the last day of school before the winter break, this meal has been a tradition in the region for about 15 years. It brings the community together and reinforces friendships and relationships. It’s also a time of giving, with leftover care packages prepared for students and families who might otherwise not get a Christmas meal. Over the past couple of years, with the rising cost of food, the increased demand, and the higher cost of living, it became clear that additional support was needed to help those involved to ensure the meal could continue.
The Tradition Continues
Joanna Hurst, coordinator at the Clearwater Food Hub, brought the idea forward to Emily Rees, Food Security Initiative Manager at United Way BC. She said, “They want the students to be involved in the planning and the shopping and the cooking and the serving. They want it to have it to be an event that feeds everybody, plus the social inclusion, food literacy, learning, planning, cooking, and the parents being involved.”
United Way BC’s Collaborative Approach to Food Security
The United Way BC Regional Community Food Hub in Clearwater has only been operational for 2 years, but one thing is clear: relationship-building and fostering caring, healthy communities are an integral part of the work of the Food Security team. Emily Rees, Food Security Initiative Manager at United Way BC, explained, “We use a collaborative approach that invests in relationships, allowing communities to meet immediate food needs, continuously improve programs and services, and work together to create healthier, more equitable and sustainable food systems.”
Walking into the school, the festive live music of the school band was a cheery greeting. In the Foods Room, parents and students were at the tail end of preparing the meal. They’d been hard at work since 8:30 that morning, with hams in the oven, potatoes, vegetables, gravy, dinner rolls, all the fixings, and desserts made by the students.
Kerry Milner-Cairns, COO at Yellowhead Community Services, said, “I was a PAC parent, and I helped with [the meal] for many years and it [was fun and heartwarming]. To be able send home a Christmas dinner with kids that need it when there are leftovers, a bag for them and their entire family, is a real gift.”
The Parent Advisory Council (PAC) ensured the meal was a great success, working hard with the students to plan and prepare the menu. As they dished out healthy portions to 200+ students, staff, and community members, the smiles on their faces made it obvious they were enjoying the opportunity to make a difference on this special day.
The work of United Way BC spans the province of British Columbia, from the larger cities to the smaller communities, just like Clearwater. Having a positive impact in ways that mean something to the people we support is important, and what could mean more than a thoughtful meal, bringing people together to teach our youth and support the communities we live in.
To learn more, visit the 2023-2024 Regional Community Food Hub Initiative Annual Report