During ordinary times, Youth Centres of Calgary addresses the after-school needs of at-risk youth aged 11 to 16 by offering daily free hot meals, sports, mentorship, music lessons and homework help. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has switched gears.

After-school gatherings are no longer permitted at Youth Centres of Calgary’s Ogden centre, and the organization’s executive director, Jane Wachowich, learned that without the meal provided by Youth Centres of Calgary or schools, a lot of kids weren’t going to be eating. So, she pivoted the program to provide curbside packed lunches to anyone who needs a meal.

At first, Jane offered daily meals from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ogden facility. However, she soon expanded the service to other communities including Dover, Forest Lawn, Shaganappi/Rosscarrock, Penbrooke and Radisson Heights. Drop-offs are also being made in Applewood and soon, Pineridge, communities who have been very hard-hit by the pandemic. The support of Meals on Wheels, I Can for Kids, local school principals and social workers, and a few commercial kitchens made this expansion possible. In addition to providing lunches, Youth Centres of Calgary is also offering refurbished sports equipment and books from Calgary Reads to families.   

Youth Centres of Calgary is the recipient of CHAS’ latest funding efforts. Jane contacted CHAS in late May requesting urgent funding for her programming. At first, Jane used her existing budget for the free brown bag lunches, estimating a need of 20 to 30 lunches per day. However, that budget was quickly depleted as the actual need was for 70 to 80 meals per day. Now, with the program expanding to six communities, Jane estimates the organization is providing 3000 lunches per week, including Free Pizza Friday and Stampede pancake lunches. The need to feed kids and families in the community healthy meals is still increasing. Unfortunately, she had been paying for many of the supplies herself.

Thanks to CHAS, Youth Centres of Calgary has received $15,000 to purchase food for kids and their families during the months of June, July and August, until schools reopen and food programs for children in schools restart. “I am so very lucky to be able to do this work, thanks to CHAS, its support and its incredible hands-on volunteerism with and for the kids that we serve,” says Jane. “It’s an honour to work with the incredible women of CHAS. Together, we are feeding and caring for so many Calgary kids, kids who need and appreciate our support right now.”

“The other day, one of our children said to her mother, bag in her arms, ‘Does this mean that we still get dinner?’ She didn’t expect to eat twice. Food is love and during a difficult time, the strong women of CHAS have given our families a gift that they will never forget.”