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. iCAN now reaches thousands of food-insecure households across hundreds of communities each year.
This milestone not only honours the countless families and children we’ve served but also pays tribute to the many donors, agency partners, and communities who championed us every step of the way. Together, we’ve demonstrated how there is a more dignified way to alleviate food insecurity—an approach that prioritizes choice, fosters resilience, and builds stronger community connections.
2024: A year of strengthening our foundation
As the cost of living continues to outpace wages, the demand for our income-based response to an income-based issue continues to surge. Today, nearly 1 in 3 children across Alberta struggles with food insecurity—a harsh reality that compels iCAN to amplify our reach. Over the past year, we invested considerable energy to establish a solid foundation for future growth, paving the way for the next chapter of our journey. Here are some key highlights of what iCAN accomplished in 2024:
- Welcomed new board members: We welcomed five passionate and highly skilled individuals to our Board of Directors, each bringing a unique blend of expertise, experience, and connections that have formed the strongest team in iCAN’s history. This dynamic, working board remains deeply engaged as they actively drive our mission forward.
- Expanded our team: After 10 years of Bobbi flying solo, we doubled our workforce by welcoming Samara Kambeitz as our Director of Programs and Partnerships. Her extensive expertise in the social services sector, coupled with firsthand experience as a long-term agency partner, comes at a pivotal moment as iCAN focuses on expanding our reach and strengthening collaborations.
- Enhanced our evaluation capacity: We improved our evaluation processes, methods, and tools to share the voices and lived experiences of the families and children we serve. The more we learn, the better we can respond to shifting needs through our commitment to continuous improvement, productive partnerships, and thoughtful program delivery.
- Elevated our communication: We made significant strides in how we connect with supporters, raise awareness of our program’s success, share the unique impacts of our service model, and invite the public to join a growing movement toward empowerment and dignity.
- Empowered communities everywhere: We published a comprehensive guide to empower communities across Canada and beyond who seek a more efficient, dignified, and evidence-driven approach to empower food-insecure households. This guide provides the tools and insights needed to implement a streamlined grocery gift card program in a variety of contexts for diverse populations.
- Collaborated with researchers: Our commitment to learning and sharing remains steadfast. Building on the findings of our initial research, we partnered with leading researchers to lay the groundwork for a future study that will provide deeper insights into the impact of our grocery gift card model. The results will expand everyone’s understanding about the experiences of food-insecure families, and the value of our service model.
Looking ahead: 2025 and beyond
Our diligence has paid off, and all the essential pieces are now in place to take our program to the next level. In 2025, iCAN will partner with a greater number of agencies to reduce our extensive waitlist and amplify our reach across Calgary. We’ll also expand into rural communities, bringing families with access to far fewer resources the dignity and autonomy that define our approach.
This expansion opens the door to new opportunities, marking a major step forward as we grow our capacity, strengthen our ability to scale our model, and continue leading with innovative, evidence-based practices. Through it all, our vision remains clear: a future where all children and families feel empowered by support that reflects and honors their lived realities.
Thank you for 10 years of trust and support
To our donors, agency partners, champions, and supporters: thank you! Your belief in iCAN’s mission fuels our determination to make a difference. In 2024, you enabled us to strengthen our foundation and prepare for what’s next. As we move forward, we commit to keeping you informed about the impact we achieve together.
As we reflect on our journey and look to the future, we feel just as excited as we did in 2015. Here’s to 10 years of innovation, resilience, and community—and to the many more milestones we’ll reach together.
With gratitude,
Co-founders, I Can for Kids
To join iCAN’s expanding list of donors, sponsors, and champions, check out the different ways you can get involved or donate.
To learn more about I Can for Kids and their unique approach to childhood food insecurity, visit www.icanforkids.ca
About I Can for Kids Foundation
I Can for Kids works closely with multiple agency partners to target and distribute grocery gift cards to food-insecure families who are most in need. The iCAN grocery gift card program is a more dignified and inclusive approach to dealing with food insecurity, allowing families to shop where everyone else shops and to choose foods that are appropriate for their health and cultural needs. Explore their website to discover more about iCAN’s impact over the years.
For more information and media inquiries, please contact iCAN Executive Director, Bobbi Turko at bobbi@icanforkids.ca.
