Food for Thought has a memorandum of understanding with School District No. 23 to provide school meal programs for students in Kelowna, West Kelowna, and Lake Country. Currently, over 5900 children in the Central Okanagan face hunger and we know that number has increased due to the economic fall out of the coronavirus.

Food for Thought Garden SignFood for Thought Garden.

Unemployment, underemployment, and low wages are all playing a role. This means for many parents, putting, food on the table remains a daily struggle and without our programs, many of these children would be hungry at school which makes it difficult to learn and get ahead in life.

Volunteers packing healthy meals at Food for Thought
Volunteers packing food.

Food for Thought provides a Breakfast Program and a Backpack Program. The Breakfast Program provides healthy, prepackaged breakfast for children in need. The Backpack Program sends backpacks full of nutritious food home on weekends with the students who are most at-risk of going hungry.

Fresh Lettuce in Backpacks at Food for ThoughtFresh lettuce in backpacks at Food for Thought.

Food for Thought is grateful for the seed donation from West Coast Seeds, for our Food for Thought Garden Project. In the spring months we were able to provide basil, radishes, and fresh lettuce into children's backpacks for 6 consecutive weeks.

Garden Project at Food for Thought
Garden Project with veggies and flowers growing.

Our dedicated volunteers once again, packaged and sent out over 3000 meals each week!
We also currently have some of the most at-risk children, receiving a backpack full of nutrition complete with a simple recipe card.  Each week we are sending out 122 Backpacks packed full of healthy food.
Lettuce growing at Food for Thought
Lettuce growing at Food for Thought.

Our organization has many stories. This one was recently described by teachers in Kelowna.

"We have one young family that have been displaced from their home and are living in a motel. Many mornings they come late, dirty clothes and not having breakfast.  As soon as they arrive, we provide them with breakfast from the Food for Thought Breakfast Program. This settles them for the day and helps them learn."

West Coast Seeds is helping take a bite out of hunger in the Central Okanagan by providing seeds for the Food for Thought Garden in Kelowna. Unfortunately, one in five children in the area often go hungry without help from Food for Thought. The vegetables grown in our Food for Thought Garden are sent home with children who may otherwise go hungry. It's hard to imagine that children in British Columbia don't have enough food to eat on the weekends. Together we are taking children from Poverty to Possibility!

Bloom where you are planted sign at Food for ThoughtInspiring change in Kelowna, West Kelowna, and Lake Country.

To make a donation or for more information contact: Cheryl Hoffman, Project Coordinator Food for Thought.
Ph: 250-717-2007 email: foodforthought@hopeforthenations.com