ARC steps-up to help tackle food insecurity in Calgary’s kids

Did you know, every day, thousands of children in Calgary go to school without a lunch? Today, one in 10 Calgarians live below the poverty line, and with an almost nine per cent rise in food costs, now more than ever, families and kids in our community need food support. To help bring awareness to this issue and raise much-needed funding, ARC has teamed up with long-time partner Brown Bagging for Calgary Kids (BB4CK), with a donation to support Brown-Bagging-It Day.

Recognized on May 25th, Brown-Bagging-It Day was first established in 2017 to drive awareness about the number of children in Calgary arriving at school each day without the food required to thrive. Now in its fifth year, the city-wide initiative has grown. This year, from May 24 – 31, 2022, ARC will match donations received during the campaign for a value up to $30,000.

“As the number of kids in our city who go to school hungry continues to grow daily, we are working diligently to ensure that every student that needs a lunch receives one,” says Bethany Ross, Executive Director, Brown Bagging for Calgary Kids. “The impact that hunger and a lack of proper nutrition have on kids’ energy levels, problem-solving skills, creativity and concentration is dramatic and life altering. As a community-funded organization, we rely on the generosity of our community and partners like ARC Resources to ensure every kid has access to the food they need to thrive.”

“Food insecurity is something no one should have to face. We are proud to continue our long-standing partnership with BB4CK to help address this issue, and ensure every child has access to a balanced and nutritious lunch,” said Sara Johnson, Manager, Mineral Land & Business Development and BB4CK Champion at ARC Resources. “ARC has a strong culture of caring. Stepping up to support those causes that are most important to our communities is a core part of who we are.”

2022 marks the 15th year ARC has partnered with BB4CK. To-date, ARC teams have volunteered approximately 3,800 hours and assisted in creating approximately 190,000 healthy lunches for Calgary students who would otherwise have gone without.