Creating The Free Store from the ground up.
More than nine years ago, I created The Free Store Chilliwack because I saw a need in our community and wanted to find a practical way to respond. What began as a food hamper program grew into something much bigger as I listened to the people coming through our doors and learned that food was only one part of what families needed.
Today, I am the founder and director of The Free Store, and I continue to volunteer seven days a week. We now support thousands of local families, including working families and people going through difficult circumstances, with food, clothing, school supplies, lunches and other practical necessities. Just as important to me is making sure people feel welcome when they walk through our doors, without feeling judged for needing help.
Youth have become a particularly important part of our work. Through girls' and boys' groups, youth programs, school support, volunteer opportunities, sports equipment and free First Aid and FoodSafe courses, we create opportunities for kids and teens to build confidence, learn practical skills, connect with others and see that they have something to contribute. We also work with local schools and teachers, including through school supply programs and events such as 123 Read To Me, helping put books and learning opportunities into the hands of children. It has taught me that opportunities only matter if people can actually access them, and that a connected community has to make room for people at different ages and stages of life.
We support seniors with meals, nutritional needs, clothing and other practical supports, and we create community opportunities where families can participate without cost being a barrier. One of the projects I am especially proud of is our prom pop-up, where Chilliwack graduates can access formalwear, suits, accessories, alterations and makeup in a free and welcoming environment. It has reinforced my belief that accessibility is about more than having a service available; people need to be able to reach it, afford it and feel comfortable using it. That includes thinking about transportation and how people without reliable access to a vehicle can participate in the life of their own community.
I have also helped lead The Free Store's response when our community has faced emergencies. When fires or other disasters affect local families, the need is rarely just one thing. People may need food, clothing, financial support or somewhere to turn, often all at once. Our response has taught me how important it is for a community to be able to come together quickly, work across organizations and make sure people are not left to navigate difficult circumstances on their own. That same sense of connection is something I want to carry into my work on Council. Chilliwack is growing, and I believe growth should not mean losing the relationships and sense of community that make people feel at home here.
We also created a seed program to help people learn to grow some of their own food, building practical skills and encouraging greater self-sufficiency. We work closely with local farmers to keep our waste under 3%. Food that cannot be distributed is redirected wherever possible, including to local farmers for animal feed, while other food and supplies are passed along for canning, gardening or composting. Finding ways to make the most of what we have and reduce what ends up as waste is an important part of minimizing our environmental impact.
Rescuing and fostering dogs has also found its way into our community work through our pet poverty programs, helping people care for their animals during times when money is tight.
The Free Store has grown because people in Chilliwack keep showing up. Volunteers, donors, local businesses, community organizations and the families we serve have all helped shape what it has become. I have learned how to build programs from an idea, manage the practical realities behind them, respond when circumstances change and keep looking for ways to make them better.
