It’s Almost Time For Karen To Climb For Kids!

Jul 14, 2021

On July 23rd, Karen takes the fight against childhood hunger to new heights (3,491m, specifically)

Our fearless friend, Karen Knowlton, has been hard at work training for Karen Climbs for Kids and will be summiting Mount Athabasca (3,491m) in Jasper National Park on July 23 in support of I Can for Kids.

Karen—partner at Stawowski McGill and all-around outdoor enthusiast—is using this opportunity to raise awareness and money to help us tackle childhood hunger. Money raised will provide children and their families with $50 grocery gift cards—which will allow families to shop with dignity and choose foods that are appropriate to their personal and cultural needs.

With only days to go, Karen has already surpassed her initial fundraising goal and we are blown away by her drive and determination. We want to extend a huge I Can for Kids thank you to Karen and her team for helping us in our fight to end childhood hunger.

Good luck on your climb, Karen!

Support Karen Climbs for Kids by making a donation here: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/karen-climbs-for-kids/

On Wednesday July 14th Karen Knowlton was surprised with a visit from her inspiration, Liliana Kujundzic, a 75-year climber from Edmonton. Karen was inspired take on Mount Athabasca in support of I Can for Kids after learning Liliana has summited over 60 peaks across the world and raised hundreds of thousands dollars for children’s charities.

About I Can for Kids

Since 2015, I Can for Kids has been supporting thousands of hungry children in Calgary every year. We work closely with over 25 local social service agency partners with direct connections to children in need to distribute nutritious food packs, fresh fruits and vegetables, and grocery gift cards. Our grocery gift card program is a more dignified and inclusive approach to dealing with hunger, allowing families to shop where everyone else shops and choose foods that are appropriate to their personal and cultural needs. In 2020, we fed over 28,000 kids in 136 communities across the city.

Learn more about who we are and how we’re impacting the lives of hungry children in Calgary, visit www.icanforkids.ca.

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From deep roots grow new branches

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.

Amplifying our impact: new partnerships expand our reach

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.

Our journey of growth: reflections and the road ahead

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.