Planting the Seeds of Change: Empowering Youth Through Food, Culture, and Community

At President’s Choice Children’s Charity (PCCC), we believe that every child deserves access to nutritious food and the opportunity to thrive. That’s why we’re so incredibly proud of Future Growers, a growing national initiative that’s helping communities reimagine food access through youth-led, culturally grounded, and tech-enabled farming. It’s more than just a program; it’s a testament to the power of community, the resilience of youth, Indigenous food sovereignty, and the commitment to truth and reconciliation.

Demonstrating our commitment to nurturing essential growing and cooking skills and providing equitable access to nutritious food for students, Future Growers is cultivating hope across the country. With farms already operating in Saskatchewan and British Columbia, we are excited to welcome Kikino School in Northern Alberta to this growing community.

Kikino School, nestled within the Kikino Métis Settlement, is a place where Indigenous students are not only learning about food, but also connecting with their culture and building a brighter future. With approximately 110 students from pre-K to Grade 8, the school is a vital hub for the community. The student-led container farm will provide year-round access to fresh, nutritious food in a region where outdoor growing is limited by climate.

But Future Growers is about so much more than just growing vegetables. It’s about empowering youth to become leaders in their communities. It’s about integrating food systems education into the curriculum, connecting students to subjects like science, technology, math, language, health, and nutrition in a hands-on, engaging way. It’s about fostering intergenerational learning, with Elders sharing their traditional knowledge of foods and land-based practices.

One Grade 2 student shared, “Much of our Indigenous knowledge that connects to our land, including gardening, has been lost. This project will help me and the garden leaders to reconnect with our ancestors so we can once again grow our own food in a good way.”

The success of Future Growers is a testament to the incredible people who bring it to life. In Kikino, we are inspired by the dedication of educators like Principal Laurie Thompson, who sees the broader impact. “Championing Future Growers in the Kikino Metis Settlement is about preserving Metis cultural heritage, reclaiming food sovereignty, and fostering sustainable practices that ensure resilience, health, and self-sufficiency for generations to come.”

At President’s Choice Children’s Charity, we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to live a healthy and fulfilling life. Future Growers is a powerful example of how we are working to make that vision a reality. We are incredibly proud of the progress we have made, and we are excited to continue growing this program and expanding its reach in the years to come. Together, we can cultivate a future of food sovereignty and empower the next generation to thrive.