The Bonnyville Friendship Centre has been presented with the 2022 Friends of Education Award.
The Friendship Centre has supported students through programs including the Friends for Lunch program, which provides healthy lunch and snack items for students.
Board Chair Karen Packard says food insecurity can be a huge barrier to attending and fully participating in school.
“The Friendship Centre’s commitment to ensuring all students have access to healthy food throughout the school year is appreciated and makes a big difference in the lives of our students.”
The Friendship Centre also invites students to participate in Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrations, its free tutoring program, support for local graduates, mental health advocacy, cultural awareness presentations and workshops, and partnering with schools on student leadership and citizenship projects.
“The programming provided by the Bonnyville Friendship Centre truly reflects the needs of both our students and the community,” said Packard. “We are so grateful for the wonderful opportunities they provide for our youth to experience new things, learn, and contribute to their community.”
The Friends of Education Award is handed out to four recipients with previous awards presented to Cold Lake Public Library, Brian Deheer, and First Nations Health Consortium. The award was given to the Friendship Centre on March 29th.