Interfaith Food Bank celebrating Canada Day
By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on June 29, 2024.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com With Canada Day around the corner the Interfaith Food Bank is ready to celebrate, while also giving the community an opportunity to learn about what the day means to Indigenous peoples.Taylor Doyle, marketing and communications with the IFB told the Herald Thursday they are very excited for Canada Day this year with some new activities and partnerships.
“We’re really excited about the Canada Day celebrations this year. You’ll see a lot of the same things you’ve seen in previous years, but we will also have Bridging Worlds Consulting provide some Indigenous education on site and support for Indigenous community members who might be struggling with Canada Day as well,” said Doyle.
She said they will have a tipi there and they will be providing support to Indigenous people who might be struggling with Canada Day being celebrated because for them in a way it is celebrating colonialism.
“We want to provide a space for everyone to feel comfortable that day, whatever it means for you. There’s going to be a tipi and some videos will be playing in there,” said Doyle.
She explained that the partnership with Bridging Worlds Consulting started when IFB asked them for help creating a land acknowledgement and they had the opportunity to learn about colonialism.
“They had a blanket exercise for our staff so we could understand the impacts of colonialism and then they invited us back to the Reserve and we got to learn more about their culture, hands on,” said Doyle.
When IFB started to plan this year’s Canada Day activities, Doyle said they approached Bridging Worlds Consulting to ask if they would be willing to take part and they were very excited when their offer was accepted.
“We were ecstatic to have an Indigenous component to Canada Day and to engage more of that marginalized community,” said Doyle.
As for the rest of the activities, Doyle said they include their usual charity breakfast where people pay what they can and it is open to the whole community, the community stage where they will be showcasing local talent, a market with local vendors including their thrift store as well as their food recovery and a car show.
“We’re excited to be partnering with more agencies. This year we’ll have the family centre there, they’ll be running different activity stations for kids. It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Doyle.
She added that they will be accepting donations on site both financial and food donations.
“Financial donations made through the charity breakfast as well as on site that day will be matched through the Rogers Birdies for Kids program up to 50 per cent. So, people have the opportunity to allow their donations stretch a little bit further that day and make a bigger impact at the food bank,” said Doyle. 3
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