All year, the Hamilton Teacher Candidates Council (HTCC) have been working towards a goal. Helping to feed hungry kids in their community by supporting Food4Kids Hamilton. The HTCC raised $3,000 for organization from fundraising events and council funding.

Food4Kids volunteers package and deliver more than 1,000 healthy food packages every Friday to more than 40 Hamilton schools. These healthy food packages are distributed to kids ages 4 to 14 who have limited or no access to food over the weekend.

“As teachers we want nothing but success for our students, but when there are personal or financial struggles coming from home this can definitely hinder their success in the classroom,” says Stefanie DiSimoni, a second-year Consecutive Teacher Education student and co-chair of HTCC.

With the goal of giving back to the community, the HTCC reached out to Food4Kids because of its connection to local schools. Many members of the HTCC had already encountered Food4Kids through placements in schools as part of Brock’s teacher education programs.

“They were really impressed with our ability to reach out to children at risk and children in need with a program that’s healthy and direct and truly impactful and provided funds in order to support the children we serve,” says Lena Bassford, Executive Director at Food4Kids Hamilton.

Pictured above: Lena Bassford, Executive Director at Food4Kids Hamilton; Stefanie DiSimoni, second-year I/S Consecutive Teacher Education student and co-chair of HTCC; Matthew Italiano, first-year J/I Consecutive Teacher Education student and treasurer of the HTCC; and Caitlyn Hendershott, first-year I/S Consecutive Teacher Education student and co-chair of the HTCC.