The first quarter of 2025 has already surpassed all expectations for everyone at I Can for Kids (iCAN). First, we were excited to report how our donors and supporters enabled us to reach a record number of kids in 2024 – nearly 42,000! Second, we welcomed three additional agencies we welcomed three additional agencies to our partnership network to help us reach more kids in more communities.
At I Can for Kids (iCAN), we know that effective responses to food insecurity require collaboration, advocacy, and a solid understanding of the complex challenges families face. That’s why we partner with numerous frontline agencies with deep and respected connections in their communities. The staff working in these organizations apply their experience and expertise every day to target our grocery gift card program by continually assessing which families require immediate assistance.
Thanks to you, as I Can for Kids (iCAN) marks 10 years of empowering food-insecure children and families, we are filled with gratitude, pride, and renewed energy for the work ahead. What began as a conventional response to gaps in services for vulnerable children during the summer months has transformed into an innovative and evidence-based program that provides families dignified and immediate relief through grocery gift cards.
On a sunny fall morning, Lily*, a single parent of three, shared her story, one that embodied both love for her children and an unimaginable hardship. In 2022, Lily was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal cancer and was given only a few years to live. Despite the devastating diagnosis, her courage shines through. Her story is one of pain, struggle, and resilience.
When I Can for Kids (iCAN) initiated our grocery gift card program in 2020, we soon recognized how the income-based nature of our approach led to a greater sense of resilience, trust, and community belonging among families struggling with food insecurity. We also realized that continuing our cross-sector collaboration was key to maximizing our impact. This approach allowed our grassroots charity to reach vulnerable children through a cohesive and centralized response to food insecurity across Calgary and the surrounding area.
A father shares his experiences and perspectives of our grocery gift card program after more than a year of accessing support.
Our recipients and agency partners collaborate with us to maximize the number of families who benefit from our program.
In this blog, we explore how food-insecure populations make the most of their limited household budgets.
As we increase our capacity over time, I Can for Kids (iCAN) aims to expand our grocery gift card program by partnering with more and more frontline agencies from our long (and growing) wait list.