For 35 years, Brown Bagging for Calgary's Kids has been quietly doing something remarkable: making sure thousands of Calgary children don't go through the school day hungry. This May, the organization is inviting the community to pay attention to why that work matters more than ever.

Food insecurity among Alberta children has risen more than 80 per cent over the past five years, including a 25 per cent jump from 2023 to 2024 alone. Nearly 2 in 5 children in the province were affected in 2024. Close to 8,000 Calgary kids receive a nutritious lunch through BB4CK's School Lunch Program every school day — and behind each of those lunches is a web of volunteers, donors, and community members who make it happen.

Brown Bagging It Month runs from May 4 to May 31, with BB4CK using the campaign to bring the conversation about food insecurity into the broader community through storytelling and public engagement. A pop-up display at The CORE Shopping Centre from May 11 to May 31 will give Calgarians a chance to learn more about the issue and what they can do.

This year, ARC Resources is matching donations up to $100,000 throughout May, meaning any contribution made this month has twice the impact. For a cause that's been feeding Calgary's kids for three and a half decades, that's a meaningful boost.