Pemberton’s Food Bank is about to get a much-needed helping hand from some of the village’s younger residents.
The Pemberton Secondary School’s (PSS) Interact Club is setting the table for a breakfast fundraiser on May 20, from 7:30 to 10 a.m. at Town Square Restaurant.
“With the Food Bank, they can always use more money,” said Interact co-president Sophie Hancock. “It’s such a high-demand thing. Last year, when we did the fundraiser, it worked out really well and we got a lot of people and raised a lot of money, so we were excited to do it again this year.”
Hancock, who also serves as the head of this fundraiser’s committee, joined the club last year after a friend got her into it.
“Interact is really cool. Everyone’s really keen to just help out the community," she said. "And with the breakfast fundraiser, everyone gets to come out and just be together. Last year, I helped out just as like a helper, and I really wanted to do more for it this time.”
For Hancock and her peers, raising money for the food bank was a no-brainer; like other food banks around Canada, Pemberton’s location is seeing unprecedented need. The pressures of inflation and rising housing costs have driven record-breaking visits to local food banks across the country, according to a 2024 study by Food Banks Canada—and Pemberton isn't immune.
In 2024, the Pemberton Food Bank saw 7,567 total visits—12 per cent of whom were children.
Residents of smaller communities can feel the cost-of-living increases more acutely than in large population centres. Food in Pemberton can cost, on average, 10 to 20 per cent more than in Whistler, and up to 50-per-cent more than in Vancouver, according to figures shared by Sea to Sky Community Services.
Pancakes, burritos and more
On May 20, some seven members of the Interact Club will be organizing the event starting at 6:30 a.m. When doors open at 7:30 a.m., customers can choose from a breakfast burrito or pancakes with a fruit salad side for a minimum donation of $10. Gluten-free options will be available, too.
The event is student-led, relying partly on students’ culinary experiences; some Interact members work at local cafes, restaurants or even at Town Square itself.
“We'll have a few people in the kitchen, and then like two or three people organizing the donations and stuff,” said Hancock. “So there's quite a few people on hand, but it's the students doing the cooking.”
She and Tomlinson thanked Town Square’s owner, Mike Richman, for hosting the event for the second year running.
The Interact Club is a service organization for young people, sponsored by Pemberton’s local Rotary Club. Like Rotary, Interact members work together to serve their community and promote goodwill, globally.
“And I think for these kids, it's a great opportunity to give back to the community,” said Karen Tomlinson, president of the Pemberton Rotary Club.
“But also, as we talk to [students] about it, it is something that is relevant for them to put on job applications, or put on university applications. All those groups and projects that are service- and volunteer-oriented is really key for those applications.”
The breakfast fundraiser was a tradition for more years than Tomlinson can remember. But when the club became less active for a few years, the fundraiser fell by the wayside. Now, this new, more active Interact club is about to enter its second year hosting the event. Tomlinson said to expect more breakfast fundraisers in the future.
“We just thought we would bring that fundraiser back last year and try to make it an annual event,” she said.
Be sure to check out the event description posted on the club’s Facebook page. All proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards the Pemberton Food Bank.
