West Vancouver 11-year-old pitching in to fight food insecurity
Posted August 30, 2021 10:12 pm.
Last Updated August 31, 2021 11:17 am.
WEST VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — An 11-year-old from West Vancouver has been chosen as an ambassador for a campaign aimed at fighting food insecurity in North America.
Jonathan “Bear” Yeung has dabbled in philanthropy on a number of occasions, starting when he was just seven.
“I’ve helped two girls get back to school after they had to stay home to take care of their mom who was fighting cancer. I also help protect my local police force by providing them copper-infused masks. With the help of companies and individual donors, I was able to raise enough money to buy a car for a family whose old one was destroyed, in a major car crash,” he says.
Last Christmas, my friend and I started a tablet and toy drive for the brave kids at BC Children’s Hospital, so that they can stay connected with their families and friends.”
But it was his regular food donations to frontline healthcare workers during the pandemic that landed him a role as a youth ambassador for Made Good’s “Un-Wreck the Future” Campaign which seeks to support young activists tackling pressing issues.
“I started a snack drive for the frontline health care workers at my local hospital by getting them healthy snacks and electrolyte drinks so that they can stay energized, to work harder on their shifts, because — as we all know — COVID has struck and the frontline health care workers are doing everything they can to fight it off.”
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Yeung is one of four youth across North America who are inviting their communities to come up with creative ways to fight food insecurity, which has become a growing issue during the pandemic.
“Food insecurity is a major problem in our world, it means people who don’t have enough food regularly. It affects one in six children in Canada,” he says.
Yeung is the youngest of the four ambassadors, with the campaign running until the end of September. He credits his parent with teaching him the importance of helping others.
“My parents taught me that giving is better than receiving, and ever since I’ve been always wanting to help others,” he says.
“My overall goal is only to help others because that’s what I do. You’ll face many challenges and rejections, just don’t give up because nothing worthwhile is ever easy.”
