Caring for Kids During Strike
If a school strike or lockout occurs, resulting in the closure of all or some of the schools accessing the Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids (BB4CK) School Lunch program, we are committed to continuing to provide lunches to kids who need them via a lunch-pickup model at designated sites in Calgary.
As this is an evolving situation, we will be keeping this webpage updated with further details and with the locations at which families will be able to access BB4CK lunches.
Pick Up Locations
During the strike, we’ve teamed up with community partners across all four quadrants of Calgary to reduce barriers and keep lunches easy to access for kids.
We’ll deliver nutritious lunches (sandwich, fruit, vegetables and snack) to our partners’ pick-up spots during a set time window. Please, explore the locations below to find the one nearest to you:
Coming soon
Lunches During the Strike – FAQ
Quick answers to your questions about lunch pick-up and support during the strike
Q: Who are the lunches for?
A: Lunches are for any kids and families who need them during the strike.
Q: Do families need to register or show ID?
A: No. Families don’t need to register or show ID. Our goal is to make food simple and barrier-free for anyone who needs it.
Q: What kind of food will BB4CK offer during the strike?
We’ll continue offering the same lunches kids usually receive: a sandwich, fruit, veggies, and a snack. All of our lunches are planned to align with Alberta’s Nutrition Guidelines for Children and Youth, ensuring they are healthy, balanced, and support kids’ needs. We will be offering Turkey & Cheese, Ham & Cheese, Cheese, Halal meat option, & Pea Butter and Jam.
Q: Is there a limit on food per family?
Q: No. We trust that families are taking what they need. They are welcome to help themselves, including taking extra lunches home for their children. Families can take for multiple days.
Q: What about nut allergies?
Our kitchen is completely nut-free. We use Wow Butter on Pb and Jam sandwiches, making sure lunches are safe for kids.
Q: Are there vegetarian or halal options?
Yes. We do our best to provide different options so that all kids can enjoy a nutritious lunch that meets their dietary needs and cultural preferences. We regularly offer vegetarian choices like Wow Butter or cheese sandwiches, and we use halal beef.
Q: Will lunches be available every day?
Q: Yes. Lunches will continue to be available throughout the strike, based on the times and availability of each pickup location. Please, refer to the information above.
Q: If schools are on strike, should I stop donating?
A: Not at all. Kids will still need food and community donations make it possible for us to keep providing lunches to kids. Even if schools are closed, we’ll be making and delivering lunches through our pick-up model across all quadrants of the city to reduce barriers and ensure families can access the food their kids need. Ongoing donations allow us to continue supporting kids and families.
Q: Why is BB4CK doing this?
BB4CK exists to make sure kids have access to nutritious lunches, no matter what’s happening in schools. We know that when schools close, the need for food doesn’t go away. Kids will still need food, and we’ll continue making lunches.
Q: How can people support BB4CK during this time?
A: Donations are a big help. They make it possible to buy the food we need to continue providing lunches to kids. We are also in need of volunteer drivers who can pick up lunches at our Central Kitchen and deliver them to pick-up locations. People can also help us spread the word so families know where to access lunches.
Latest News
Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids (BB4CK) Preparing to Continue Providing Lunches if a Strike Happens
With teachers giving notice of a possible strike beginning October 6, Brown Bagging for Calgary's Kids (BB4CK) is preparing to...