In the heart of British Columbia, a unique initiative is sowing the seeds of agricultural awareness among the younger generation. Blake Venechuk, founder of the Agri-Kids Society, is on a mission to reconnect children with the roots of their food. This not-for-profit organization offers innovative agricultural programming for kids from kindergarten to grade 7, aiming to educate them about the importance of eating locally and protecting farmlands.
Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.
Agri-Kids Society is a not-for-profit that offers agricultural programming to children in British Columbia. We passively educate children on the importance of eating and shopping locally and protecting agricultural lands. We provide grade-A retail-size portions of locally grown food for children to take home, along with recipes and an online cooking show called “Cook with Ava”. In January 2025, we’re launching a before and after-school program called “Young Farmers”.
What problem does it aim to solve?
We aim to help children understand the importance of supporting local farmers, farmers markets, and protecting agricultural lands as they mature, start their occupational journey, and form families.
What made you want to get involved?
Growing up on a farm in Southern Alberta and having four children, I noticed a lack of opportunities for kids to build strong connections with their environment. I witnessed a gap in bringing families together in the garden and kitchen. Learning that children take field trips to grocery stores and that schools have to ban food delivery services showed me the disconnect between children and their food sources.
What more needs to be done?
Our long-term goal is to create an agricultural land trust to ensure that our agricultural lands will always stay agricultural lands. We also aim to change policy at Municipal, Provincial, and Federal levels to ensure our farmers can be successful long-term.
How can our readers help?
While not explicitly stated, readers could likely help by supporting the organization financially, volunteering, or spreading awareness about the program.
Do you have any events coming up?
The launch of the “Young Farmers” before and after school program in January 2025 is mentioned.
Where can we follow you?
@venechukfarms on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. The Agri-Kids program doesn’t have its own dedicated pages yet.
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
Without Compromise – Bronwyn is amazing.
