COCHRANE— Creating a way to ensure youth in the community have the nutritious food they require, a Cochrane Filipino youth group has partnered with the Breakfast Club of Canada to bring meals to those in need.
The Filipino-Canadian Association of Cochrane Alberta breakfast program officially launched at the start of August, said manager Gresal Tapulao.
Tapulao said he is grateful for the grant they received from the Breakfast Club of Canada and the volunteers who help prepare and deliver the food to children and their families.
The group delivered meals to 55 families in the first week and expanded to 62 families in the second week.
While the program is focused on the needs of children, Tapulao said, they have worked to ensure families benefit as well.
The primary target for the funds has been children of front line workers, he said, along with the children of Filipino migrants who are new to the community.
“We have a lot of them,” Tapulao said. “We were trying to figure out how we could help in this time of need.”
It is essential to have the breakfast program, Tapulao said, because it not only provides nutritious meals but also serves to help people feel less lonely in what has been an isolating year.
“We’re able to get some connections,” Tapulao said.
The program has been especially meaningful for the youth volunteers he said, because they appreciate the opportunity to give back to their community.
The program will run until September, Tapulao said, although there is hopes the program will be able to be expanded.
The major concern now is the sustainability of the program, because there are a lot of families who benefit from the meals provided. Tapulao added they are already looking for Cochrane community partners to ensure the breakfast program takes root and becomes sustainable in Town.
Tapulao said they are trying to grow the program and have begun a partnership with Quatro Asian Bistro co-owner and chef Norben Sayon to prepare meals for children and their families. Youth and the Filipino Association of Cochrane then distribute the meals every Thursday.
With the funding currently available the program will run for five weeks, Sayon said, but he is hopeful they will be able to collaborate with others in Cochrane to make the program sustainable.
The program provides nutritious food to children and their families, he said, explaining that this motivated him to participate. Sayon said the Breakfast Club of Canada served as an important chance for him to give back to a community that has given so much to him.
The children get excited knowing the meal is on the way already, Sayon said, and he is often greeted at before he has a chance to ring the doorbell.
He added that it was important to show support for children because they have faced a challenging year stuck at home due to the pandemic. It is exciting to bring some joy into their lives.
