Back to School 2026
35 Years of Caring for Kids
Join us in providing 160,000 lunches for kids this back-to-school season.
Back to School 2026
35 Years of Caring for Kids
Help us provide 160,000 lunches this back-to-school season.
Caring for Kids Together Since the ’90s
For 35 years, Calgarians have come together to help kids access the food they need. This Back-to-School season, that community care is needed again as BB4CK prepares to provide nutritious lunches for nearly 8,000 kids every school day.
From August 17 to September 30, we’re celebrating where we started, recognizing the community in action today and looking ahead to what comes next while inviting Calgarians to help provide 160,000 lunches, enough for a full month of lunches for the kids we serve.
The Need Today
More than one in three children in Alberta lived in a household experiencing food insecurity in 2025. Behind that number are thousands of families facing difficult choices and uncertainty about having enough food.
Together with our community, we provide nutritious lunches for nearly 8,000 kids every school day, but we know the need extends far beyond the children we currently reach. There is still much more work to do to help kids and families access the food they need.
more than 1 in 3
kids in Alberta lived in a household experiencing food insecurity in 2025.
about
kids receive a nutritious lunch from BB4CK every school day.
is the cost of preparing and delivering one nutritious lunch.
Your Donation Will Go Twice as Far
This Back-to-School season, our goal is to raise enough to provide 160,000 nutritious lunches, enough for a full month of school lunches for the kids we serve every school day.
Our generous matching donors, The Matt Rumpel Family Foundation, Anthony and L. Britt Giuffre, Carol Fowler, The Nicholls Family, and Susan Douglas, will match all donations up to $350,000.
Give today and double your impact for Calgary’s kids!
Turn Up the ’90s!
BB4CK’s story began in the 90s, so we’re turning up some of the songs that defined the decade. Grab your boombox, dust off your cassette collection, and enjoy a little ’90s nostalgia as we celebrate 35 years of community in action!
35 Years of Community in Action
What began with a small group making sandwiches has grown into a citywide community that connects thousands of kids and families to food. Explore some of the moments that have shaped BB4CK and see where we’re going next.
Where our story began
Our story began when a small group of volunteers saw that children experiencing homelessness in Calgary needed access to food and decided to act. Using donated ingredients, they made sandwiches in a downtown kitchen for local outreach organizations to share with children in the community.
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Growing into Calgary’s schools As the need grew, so did the community response. We became a registered charity in 2002 and began working with schools. In 2006, we became Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids and introduced more lunch choices, better-quality ingredients and discreet packaging. |
Volunteers preparing sandwiches in one of our early kitchens. |
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Growing and adapting together By 2012, the community was helping provide lunches for over 2,000 kids each day in 100 schools. We responded during the 2013 flood and adapted again when COVID-19 closed schools, providing grocery cards so families could choose the food that worked best for them. |
Volunteers preparing lunches in BB4CK’s kitchen, 2013. |
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Listening and Responding We continued to find new ways to listen to and respond to kids and families. Their voices and lived experiences helped shape lunch options and new programs. When schools closed during the 2025 teachers’ strike, we partnered with community organizations to create neighbourhood lunch pick-up locations so kids could continue accessing food. |
A message of thanks from Calgary teachers, 2025. |
A city-wide community caring for kids
Today, we work year-round to connect kids and families to food. We provide lunches for nearly 8,000 kids every school day in more than 290 schools, support children through summer programs, and offer families a dignified choice through grocery cards. This work continues to be shaped and powered by people across Calgary.
Volunteers preparing lunches for kids across Calgary.
Growing Together for Calgary’s Kids
Now, our story is entering a new chapter. Our new kitchen will have nearly three times the capacity of our current space, strengthening our ability to prepare nutritious lunches and connect more kids and families to food.
Our new kitchen location.
Where our story began
Our story began when a small group of volunteers saw that children experiencing homelessness in Calgary needed access to food and decided to act. Using donated ingredients, they made sandwiches in a downtown kitchen for local outreach organizations to share with children in the community.
Growing into Calgary’s schools
As the need grew, so did the community response. We became a registered charity in 2002 and began working with schools. In 2006, we became Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids and introduced more lunch choices, better-quality ingredients and discreet packaging.
Volunteers preparing sandwiches in one of our early kitchens.
Growing and adapting together
By 2012, the community was helping provide lunches for over 2,000 kids each day in 100 schools. We responded during the 2013 flood and adapted again when COVID-19 closed schools, providing grocery cards so families could choose the food that worked best for them.
Volunteers preparing lunches in BB4CK’s kitchen, 2013.
Listening and Responding
We continued to find new ways to listen to and respond to kids and families. Their voices and lived experiences helped shape lunch options and new programs. When schools closed during the 2025 teachers’ strike, we partnered with community organizations to create neighbourhood lunch pick-up locations so kids could continue accessing food.
A message of thanks from Calgary teachers, 2025.
A city-wide community caring for kids
Today, we work year-round to connect kids and families to food. We provide lunches for nearly 8,000 kids every school day in more than 290 schools, support children through summer programs, and offer families a dignified choice through grocery cards. This work continues to be shaped and powered by people across Calgary.
Volunteers preparing lunches for kids across Calgary.
Growing Together for Calgary’s Kids
Now, our story is entering a new chapter. Our new kitchen will have nearly three times the capacity of our current space, strengthening our ability to prepare nutritious lunches and connect more kids and families to food.
Our new kitchen location.
the people behind every lunch
For 35 years, volunteers have been an important part of BB4CK’s story. They help prepare, pack and deliver nutritious lunches for nearly 8,000 kids every school day.
Whether you’re volunteering for the first time or are already part of the BB4CK community, sign up for a shift or invite a friend, family member or coworker to join you in the kitchen.
Our next chapter
This fall, BB4CK will begin a new chapter in a new kitchen. With nearly three times the capacity of our current space, it will strengthen our ability to prepare nutritious lunches and connect more kids and families to food.
Explore the prep kitchen, production and packing rooms, and volunteer lounge being created in our new space.
Volunteers Lounge
Prep Kitchen
Production Room
Packing Room
Volunteers Lounge
Prep Kitchen
Production Room
Packing Room
Be part of what is next!
The school year is beginning, and BB4CK is preparing to provide nutritious lunches from the first day of school. Give today and your donation will be matched dollar for dollar, helping us move closer to our goal of providing 160,000 lunches.