'It's really youth helping youth': Student-driven campaign helps fight hunger in New Brunswick

A massive campaign involving dozens of schools in the Greater Moncton area is once again a huge success.

Fill the Bus began 24 years ago and was started by Aubrey Kirkpatrick, the director of finance and administration for the Anglophone East School District.

Over the years, the district community has raised the equivalent of approximately $3 million in food and monetary donations.

The money goes to the city’s main food bank, Food Depot Alimentaire, and the district’s 39 school food programs.

For the past four weeks, students have gathered food and cash donations to help feed people in their community and on Wednesday, they literally filled the bus.

District superintendent Randy MacLean said the kids are at the heart of the campaign.

“They’re the donations, they’re the drivers, they’re the motivators at school. They’re the cheerleaders. They’re the doers,” said MacLean. “You don’t have to read social media or read the newspaper or watch the news to know that things are hard right now and inflation is high, but we can help.”

Food Depot Alimentaire executive director Stephane Sirois said the delivery of food is the biggest day of the year for them and a crucial campaign because the donations replenish the shelves at the warehouse distribution centre in Moncton.

“There’s 48 per cent more people visiting food banks and community kitchens, just compared to last year. So we need all the help we can get. Donations are down. People are tightening their belts. It’s tough for everybody,” said Sirois.

Sirois said it’s not just the homeless that need the donations.

“The working poor. Families that own their home. Interest rates are going up. Their mortgage, they can’t make ends meet. So it’s a different demographic that’s visiting food banks than before and it’s concerning,” said Sirois.

Students and staff at Moncton’s Harrison Trimble High School filled four buses alone and members of the football team made the deliveries to the warehouse on Wednesday.

Heather Stordy, the district’s community engagement coordinator, said the students really embrace the fundraiser.

“They don’t need to be asked, they just come forward. The challenges start early, they get excited. It’s really youth helping youth. Giving back to their community and they really understand the need,” said Stordy.

Harrison Trimble student Santiago Vicent said Fill the Bus is a big deal at his school and it’s easy to see food donations are needed.

“You can just see it all around. At our school there’s some people that are in need and I think that it’s great that we’re out here helping those around us,” said Santiago.

Teammate Sam Bawa said it was an honour to participate.

“I think it’s a great thing that we’re all doing. As a community, bringing food for people that need it the most. I think it’s a great, great movement,” said Bawa.

The district doesn’t know yet exactly how much was raised this year, but they’re confident they’ve surpassed last year’s total of $111,000 in donations.

Visit fooddepot.ca to make a donation to Moncton’s Food Depot Alimentaire.

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