Kwantlen business students help bring “Hope for the Hungry” this holiday season

Thu, Nov 12, 2009

Kwantlen business practicum students Selina Bueckert, Debbie Gebert, Prab Gill, and Nathan Griffiths raised $900 for the Surrey Food Bank through their business concept “Hope for the Hungry,” in which the practicum group sold gift baskets and held a Food Bank Fundraiser event at the Royal Oak Restaurant in Surrey.

“We are delighted that we could help. We chose to contribute to the food bank this holiday season because the need increases around this time of year,” says Kwantlen student Griffiths.

According to Shirley Jensen, Director of Development at Surrey Food Bank, the $900 will greatly assist the food bank. Due to the Surrey Food Bank’s large purchasing power, $1 can buy up to $3 worth of food. The students' $900 contribution, for example, can provide formula to feed 30 babies for one week.

The Kwantlen business practicum is the capstone course of the Bachelor of Business Administration degree program, where students employ their knowledge in a practical business situation. The practicum also helps to fund the Kwantlen Polytechnic University Venture Capital Fund. This fund offers Kwantlen graduates a source of small business financing upon graduation if they decide to start their own business. For more information about Kwantlen’s School of Business, visit: kwantlen.ca/business

The Surrey Food Bank estimates that it helps 14,000 people a month. In 2008, it provided over 44,000 hampers to low-income clients. In addition, the bank also provided food support for a number of recovery houses, safe houses, shelters, youth centres, soup kitchens, and specialty food banks in Surrey and North Delta. Each year the food bank also spends $30,000 on formula to help ensure that babies receive the proper nutrition needed in their first stages of life, as well as provide additional healthy choices for babies. For more information about the Surrey Food Bank or to make a donation visit:http://www.surreyfoodbank.org/

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