Not Just a Snack

Snack for Impact - Empowering Young Lives

Patricia, a single mother with an income that is barely enough to cover the rent and utility bills. To make it work, she had to cut back on grocery and limiting meals to once a day. Most of the days, she'd skip meals so her 9-year-old Julie doesn’t go to bed hungry. Julie didn't have any friends because she couldn't afford snacks like they did. she spent her time home alone with her book. Patricia visited WINS Community Hub and explaining her situation to the staff. The team gave her a bag full of food staples and suggested to register Julie for Grab a Snack. It’s been 4 months now and Julie never missed a day participating in Grab a snack program. She spends her time crafting with her new friend Emily before going home with her bag of snack and a book. To many children, Grab a Snack Program is not just about the snack. WINS offers a safe place where children get to socialize, engage in different activities and make friends.

Background

As the cost-of-living rises, households in Calgary have been seeing a dramatic drop in their purchasing power. Low-income families are facing challenges to meet their basic needs such as rent and utilities and left with no choice but to cut down on purchasing healthy food or opt to buying cheap unhealthy options. Sadly, 34% of Calgary’s food bank clients are children. The lack of adequate healthy food impairs a child’s ability to concentrate and perform well in school. It has direct impact on children’s physical development, mental well-being and can contribute to isolation. Grab a Snack Program for children aims to encourage a sense of community by creating a welcoming and safe space where kids can gather and are prepared a healthy snack, have engaging activities to promote socialization, and can gain further internal/external resources to further empower themselves and their family.

The good deed

Thanks to your GOOD DEED, WINS will be able to provide a healthy snack to each child accessing our Grab a Snack program, at least 3 WINS community Resource Hubs across Calgary. Providing a nutritious snack to participating children will not only lead to better health outcome, but it will also give them the opportunity to increase the sense of community as they interact and build relationships with peers during engaging activities. It will enhance their social skills and emotional development when engaging in positive interactions and learn to navigate social situations within a supportive and safe environment.