06/02/2026
No Kids Go Hungry — A Thank You to Our Community
As the school year comes to a close, so does this season of our No Kids Go Hungry program. We wanted to take a moment to reflect and say thank you.
Over the course of this school year, together with this incredible community, we served more than 6,500 meals to local students. While the number is meaningful, what will stay with us most are the moments, the smiles, the conversations, and the sense of connection that grew day by day.
There were many afternoons where the line stretched around the corner. Through it all, the kids showed patience, kindness, and respect. They looked after one another and cleaned up after themselves. It was something special to witness, and it reminded us why this program matters so much.
This initiative would not have been possible without the support of many people. We would like to recognize and thank:
• Our dedicated staff, whose hard work and commitment made this possible every single day. This was a beast that we took on. There were bumps, time constraints, food shortages, and massive challenges daily, but everyone stepped up and made it happen. The Big T’s team is truly like no other.
• The donors who stepped forward to support the program
• Matt Jones, whose support was instrumental in sustaining this initiative
• Bill Justus, for his support and contribution to the success of the program
• The teachers and support staff in our community, thank you for spreading the word and supporting us
• A huge shout out to Ian Fero, Principal of Lakeshore School, for his consistent encouragement and partnership throughout the year. He stood beside me many days, supporting the program and making sure the kids respected the space
• The incredible social media and community support, from radio, TV, and shoutouts (including CJAY 92) that brought so much positivity and awareness to our small family owned business And of course, we want to thank the students. You are the reason this program exists, and it has been a privilege. I got to know all of you throughout this time, loved having the daily interactions, hearing how the school day was going, hockey stories, seeing the payoff died hair, flag football tryouts stories, the small group that asked me every day with some small talk “Hey Chris how’s your day going” I got know every single one of them and it was a lot of fun and they turned a stress full day into a smile pretty quickly.
We have also heard from members of the community about what this program has meant:
“This program has been incredibly well received and is such a vital support for families in our community experiencing food insecurity. It truly takes a village.”
“Knowing there is always something to eat at lunch has made a real difference… these efforts have not gone unnoticed.”
“The service, care, and consistency have meant a great deal. It has made a positive impact on so many students.”
As we look ahead, we are already planning for next year and exploring ways to grow and expand this program even further.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to the entire community for your support, your generosity, and your belief in what we are trying to accomplish.
With sincere gratitude,
Sherry & Chris Burke
Big T’s BBQ
