Kennedy Baker’s ongoing quest to stomp out hunger will hit another milestone Saturday (Aug. 17). That’s when her community picnic for Nanaimo’s disadvantaged takes place.
Baker is using money awarded to her through Coastal Community Credit Union’s Scholarship Program to provide a home-cooked meal, entertainment and a gift bag of essentials to those in Nanaimo struggling with poverty, hunger, mental illness and homelessness. She hopes to help 150 individuals through her Stomp Out Hunger picnic, happening this Saturday at Bowen Park.
“I have been focused on paying it forward and giving back to my community,” said Baker, in a letter to Coastal Community. “I truly believe what goes around comes around.”
Baker was selected by the credit union to implement her community improvement idea, a part of the application process for its scholarship program. In addition to receiving a $1,500 scholarship and up to $1,000 to implement her community picnic, the Nanaimo student will also receive an additional $500 scholarship upon project completion.
A graduate of Dover Bay Secondary, Baker plans to study psychology at Vancouver Island University in the fall.
Baker also hopes to grow her non-profit organization, STAND, which focuses on supporting Canadians living below the poverty line.
Since its launch in 2005, Coastal Community’s popular Scholarship Program has awarded almost $200,000 to students across Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, enabling more than a dozen students to implement their community projects.
Information on the 2014 program will be available at www.cccu.ca in January.