Airdrie students will brave the cold and snow as part of the 14th annual 24 Hours Against Hunger initiative.
Forty l’École des Hautes Plaines students in Grades 7 to 12 will sleep in tents or cardboard boxes as they encourage community members to donate funds or food toward the Airdrie Food Bank.
Student participants say the exercise gives them a small insight into the lives of people experiencing homelessness.
“It’s like we learn kind of how they feel, but only for a night,” said Dominick Fortier, a Grade 11 student.
Another student says it will help teach them to have compassion for unhoused individuals.
“Maybe something happened, they got injured and they can’t work anymore, or they can’t keep up with the bills,” said Grade 7 student Jasmine McFadden.
The goal is to pack a food bank truck with non-perishable food items and to raise at least $2,500.
To join in this year’s event, students donated $48 in cash, non-perishable foods, or both.
The event is set up on the school grounds through Friday morning.
While there are games and heaters to keep the students warm and entertained, organizers say it’s valuable for the students to support their local community.
“(The students) don’t know everyone in the school and don’t know how it is at home. So I think it’s important to know that they are helping everyone around themselves,” said Joëlle Barrette, teacher and guidance counsellor at École des Hautes-Plaines.
Airdrie’s food bank demand is up
The Airdrie Food Bank is inspired by the dedication of the students.
“Spending 24 hours outside to support the food bank is not only a testament to their resilience but also to their deep commitment to helping others in their community,” explained Christine Taylor, the food bank’s marketing and communications manager.
Each week, the food bank serves 700 families. Between July and December 2024, it provided food to more than 55,000 people.
Items on the food bank’s wish list include cereal, oatmeal packets, pancake mix, sugar, syrup, condiments, mac and cheese, side dishes, canned beans and legumes, meat, pasta, toilet paper, and paper towels.
“Every dollar and every item they collect helps us provide food to families facing difficult times,” said Taylor, who highlighted that “43 per cent of those we serve are children, which is 10 per cent higher than the national average.”
