Honouring Our Volunteers: King Charles III Medal Recipients and a Year of Impact
2024–2025 Volunteer Thank You
Battlefords District Food & Resource Centre / Empty Stocking Fund
We Couldn’t Do It Without You (Really. We Tried. It Was a Disaster.)
To Our Wonderful Volunteers,
We say this every year, but it’s worth saying again—and maybe even louder this time:
We truly couldn’t do this without you.
In fact, we’ve tested this theory.
We’ve tried to imagine what a day at the food bank would look like without you.
It wasn’t pretty. There were unfilled hampers, mountains of unsorted pasta, and not nearly enough jokes in the building to get through the day.
So we’ve learned our lesson: you are essential.
The Heart of Our Community
The Battlefords District Food & Resource Centre and the Empty Stocking Fund are powered by one thing—you.
You’re the ones showing up early, staying late, sorting, packing, lifting, gardening, cheering, encouraging, and sometimes surviving a minor avalanche of donated bread.
And you do it all with heart, with humour, and with a commitment that inspires every one of us.
This year, your collective gift of 5,037 volunteer hours is the reason:
✔️ Families went to bed with food on the table.
✔️ Kids went to school with smiles, knowing their weekend food bags would come on Friday.
✔️ Surplus food from our grocery partners found homes instead of landfills.
✔️ Food hampers were not just packed—they were packed with care.
You are the reason we can run year-round programs that support children, families, seniors, and newcomers.
You are the reason our Food for Kids, Milk for Kids, Coats for Kids, After the Bell, and Menstrual Product programs continue to grow.
You’ve sorted mountains of food.
You’ve gardened in the sun.
You’ve packed hampers in snowstorms.
You’ve rescued food in all seasons, with all smiles.
And through it all, you made our food bank feel less like a service and more like a community.
You Made the Moments
When we hosted the Kraft Dinner Challenge in March, you helped us set an ambitious goal and crush it.
No, we didn’t break the world record yet, but we sure made a dent in food insecurity and we had a lot of laughs doing it.
When we hosted our first-ever Haunted House to Scare Away Hunger, you jumped in with creativity and enthusiasm.
You made it spooky. You made it safe. You made it fun.
And you reminded us that even serious work can be approached with a joyful spirit.
When we worked through Food Banks Canada’s Standards of Excellence to achieve national accreditation, you were part of the backbone of that success.
It wasn’t just about policies—it was about creating a culture of care, consistency, and dignity.
When we were honoured with the BBEX Impact Award, we knew who the real winners were—you.
The people who show up.
The people who keep this place running, day in and day out.
Your Work Earns Medals (Even If You Never Asked for Them)
Some of you are now being honoured with the King Charles III Medal for Volunteer Service.
This is one of the highest recognitions a volunteer can receive in Canada.
And you know what? It’s about time.
Because while you never did this work for the spotlight, it’s about time we shine one on you.
You probably didn’t come for recognition.
You probably came because you wanted to help a neighbour.
Because you wanted to make a difference.
Because you know that kindness is a muscle that gets stronger the more you use it.
And even though you might be the type to quietly brush off thanks and sneak out the side door, tonight we want you to pause.
Let us say it plainly:
We see you.
We appreciate you.
We are so grateful for you.
You Are More Than Volunteers
You are the hands that feed our community.
You are the shoulders that lighten the load.
You are the spark that keeps the lights on.
You are the ones who make this work possible.
If we could clone you—we would. (We asked. Turns out, cloning is not in this year’s budget.)
So instead, we just say the biggest, most heartfelt thank you we can.
Let’s Keep Going
Let’s keep building.
Let’s keep growing.
Let’s keep showing what happens when a group of incredible volunteers comes together with big hearts, steady hands, and yes, probably a little Kraft Dinner still in their back pocket.
On behalf of the Battlefords District Food & Resource Centre, the Empty Stocking Fund, and every person whose life you’ve touched this year.
Thank you. You are truly one in a million.
Several of our volunteers were even featured in a recent article by Battlefords Now for receiving the King Charles III Coronation Medal. Read the article here:
https://battlefordsnow.com/2025/06/25/feeding-their-community-earns-national-medals-for-battlefords-volunteers/
