"Off the Grill!"

The only thing worse for a parent than loosing a child, is loosing a child to suicide.  Last Sept. thirty youth in the Grandview Woodlands area formed a suicide pact.  The situation was diffused but the underlying issues remain.  These youth aged 13 to 15 have disconnected from adults and instead bonded with their peers.  They hang out at MacDonald's and Pizza places and this gave community workers the idea of a community food program.  It has started with a simple barbeque at Britannia Community Centre - one of the many partners in this RICHER program at BC Children's Hospital.  At Risk Youth receive vouchers for the food and other youth and adults are charged $5.  The youth help to set up the food and wash dishes afterwards.  The goal of this program is to build engagement and relationships with the youth.  The Rotary Club of Vancouver Arbutus is the newest partner and we will be funding a hand wash station and healthy food.  Stay tuned for future pictures of our members volunteering at "Off the Grill"!