Okanagan College named Campbell’s Let’s Can Hunger national champion for third year in a row

Okanagan College Media Release

Okanagan College has been named the 2012 Let’s Can Hunger Challenge National Champion for the third year in a row by national charitable organization Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE) and proud supporter Campbell Company of Canada. The awards presentation took place at the 2012 ACE National Exposition yesterday in Calgary.

The Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) team from Okanagan College was victorious based on their ability to develop and implement a wide number of projects and initiatives that specifically addressed the needs of hunger in their community.

The team successfully implemented 20 projects, which served to raise awareness about hunger, and collected over 47,000 pounds of food for the local food bank and charities, while transferring skills and knowledge to more than 1,000 individuals caught in the cycle of hunger. The team also implemented a marketing campaign on campus, partnered with organizations including Kelowna Rotary, Kelowna Food Bank, and the Salvation Army, and took their skills to local classrooms where they taught students about budgeting and nutrition. To support local farmers, the team also supported 18 local farmers by finding new ways of getting their produce to market.

“Once again, SIFE students from across Canada raised the bar in finding new and innovative ways to address the issue of hunger in the Let's Can Hunger Challenge,” said Mark Childs, Vice President of Marketing, Campbell Canada. "The SIFE Okanagan College team stood out because of their creativity and the impact of their projects. All of the teams who participated in this initiative continue to inspire us to do what we can as a food company to help alleviate hunger in Canada.”

By supporting the Let’s Can Hunger Challenge, Campbell Soup Company has engaged students from Mexico, the United States and Canada in a powerful movement to build a foundation for lasting hunger support through innovative initiatives and awareness generation across the globe.

“The SIFE Okanagan team was recognized for their innovative solutions for hunger in their community, raising donations and awareness for this important cause,” said Amy Harder, President, ACE. “These students are shining light on how easy it can be to make a relevant impact and provide hunger relief in communities across Canada.”

Currently in its third year in Canada, this year the Let’s Can Hunger Challenge involved hundreds of students from close to 30 SIFE teams who have collectively raising over 219,000 of pounds of food to help individuals in urgent need in their communities and abroad.

For news and competition results during the event, please visit @acecanada on Twitter.