Posted July 5, 2019 and filed under News & Events.

The Edmonton Chinese Lions Club returned to Edmonton’s Food Bank for a third year in a row for our Summer Snack Kits for Kids event on June 18, 2019.

The event began in 2017 with 100 kits packed full of snack items for children during the summer school break. Kids who qualify for hot meal programs in schools don’t have access to this food during the summer break, and many experience extra hunger because of this. Our Summer Snack Kits for Kits program helps to offset this food insecurity by supplying items such as granola bars, fruit snacks, juice boxes, and fruit cups in reusable grocery bags that can be distributed to children who access the Food Bank during the summer.

The Edmonton Food Bank estimates that over 30% of the individuals that use their services are children under 18 years old, and they support 59 Edmonton schools with products for their hot lunch programs throughout the year. After hearing about the importance of the work about to be done − including a story of how grateful a young child was to receive his Summer Snack Kit in the summer of 2018 − the team of volunteers was ready to start packing! In only 25 minutes, tables of food had been packed into 700 reusable bags donated by 2% Realty, UFCW401, and our friends at Edmonton Host Lions Club.

After the work, volunteers and Lions celebrated together with a Chinese food dinner, and plans were made to do it all again in 2020!