Kids Eat First
KIDS EATS FIRST would like to take the opportunity to say Yaw^ko, che'miigwetch, and thank you to Nii'kinaaganaa for their tremendous support of Indigenous families in need of food. When the covid pandemic first hit we could not have realized just how significantly it would impact families in accessing food. Since it's inception KIDS EAT FIRST has fed over 400 Indigenous children and families in the London, Ontario and surrounding area.
KEF is an volunteer organization that aims provide either prepared food or groceries to Indigenous families in need as a sanctuary service, meeting needs without the consequence of reporting to outside organizations. There are too many instances where children and their caregivers are afraid to call for help because they fear the authorities and institutions for whom the language of safety has, in practice, caused significant harm. For indigenous people policing and children protection services are not seen as safe organizations.
Indigenous people make up only 5% of the Canadians but represent almost 40% of people living in poverty, 40% of those who are incarcerated, and between 25 and 80% of those in the care of child welfare. Thanks to organizations like Nii'kinaaganaa Kids Eat First have fed over 450 children and families in the London area, mitigating the risks associated with poverty and keeping children safe and fed. We are a small group of group of community volunteers that simply weren't willing to say "isn't that somebody else's responsibility" It truly does take a village to raise a child.
Photo credit: Jill Lunn Photography