Connecting communities, healthy food, and education! That’s what the Fresh to You Fundraiser fall program is all about!

The Fresh To You Fundraiser is an innovative BCAITC program that helps schools generate funds by selling bundles of locally grown, fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables! Not your typical chocolate bar or cookie-dough fundraiser, the Fresh To You Fundraiser features nutrient-rich potatoes, carrots, beets, shallots, squash, apples, and other fresh BC produce. Schools benefit from 40% of the profits on produce sold - and families in the community benefit from healthy food!

Free Caring Bundle This Year

The Fresh To You program is giving a free “Caring Bundle Bonus” this year to help with food security during the COVID-19 pandemic! For every bundle of produce sold, schools will receive a free bonus bundle of produce. Schools can give these free bundles to families in need in their schools or community! This extra benefit is greatly appreciated by recipients who may face food sourcing challenges during the pandemic due to loss of income and or increased expenses.  Last year's response to this Caring Bundle Bonus initiative was phenomenal (see "In The Media" section below).

Fresh to You Fundraiser Recipes

This year's Fresh To You Fundraiser bundles feature apples, potatoes, carrots, shallots, beets, and squash. These harvest vegetables and fruit are perfect for making delicious and healthy fall meals. Below are a few recipes ideas (created by Chef Trevor Randle and Take a Bite of BC Chefs). Try them today! 

• BC Chicken Tagine with Couscous (made with carrots and potatoes)
• Braised BC Beef Short Ribs with Fresh Gremolata (made with carrots)
• BC Beef Stroganoff with Fresh Gnocchi (made with shallots and potatoes)
• BC Apple Blondie (made with apples)
• Spiced BC Squash Donuts (made with squash)
• BC Squash and Root Vegetable  Salad (made with squash and carrots)
• Ham, Apple, and Cheddar Panini (made with apples)

Chicken Tagine With Couscous

Proven Success

The Fresh To You Fundraiser is a wonderful experience for everyone involved! The program has been going strong since it was started and is growing year over year! Over its six year span, the program has delivered 540,527 lbs of fresh fruits and vegetables (that’s a lot of food!) to BC schools around the province!  Participants sold 34,298 bundles and raised over $273,451 for BC schools, helping to bring school funding projects to “fruit-ion”. 

Win-Win for Everyone

The Fresh to You Fundraiser is a win-win for everyone involved in the program:

• Families benefit from the nutritional fresh and healthy food (like apples, potatoes, beets, carrots). Plus, they can learn about how BC foods from farm to table with pamphlets and recipes included with the produce delivery.
• Schools receive profits from the program that they can use to fund virus school initiatives (like playground equipment, scholarships, school events, resources, field trips, etc.).
• BCAITC is able to reach and educate more British Columbian’s about our province’s amazing agriculture story.  
• Students gain a sense of pride for helping their community.  
• BC growers are supported by the program. This helps ensure job security for farm and food workers in our province.

In the Media

Fresh to You Fundraiser has received a lot of media coverage! Why? It’s a great program! Here are some articles featuring the Fresh to You Fundraiser.

• “Nesika Students Donate 2,000 Pounds of Fresh Produce Back into Community”, The Williams Lake Tribune
•  “Unique Fundraiser Helps Campbell River Schools Give Back”, Campbell River Mirror
• “Fort St. John Students Donate 8,000 Pounds of Food to Community Groups", Alaska Highway News
• “​​École Banting Middle School Participates at the Fresh to You Fundraiser by BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation”, www.sd43.bc.ca
• “Unique Fundraiser in SD72 Gives Back", www.bcsta.org

What They Say About It

Participants in the Fresh to You Fundraiser tell us they love it. Here are some of their positive comments:

• “Thank you so much for your continued support for our students....it is very much appreciated!”– Bayview Elementary
• “This has been a wonderful program and we are so happy to be a part of it." - Anhim Lake Elementary/Junior/Secondary School
• “We love this program, thank you very much!” - Blue River

How to Participate

f you are a school that is looking for a healthy fundraiser – this is your chance to participate! School registration for the fall 2021 Fresh to You Fundraiser currently underway and closes on September 21. Visit the program page for registration details.

BC residents wishing to purchase produce bundles can visit the program page starting September 29 to find a list of local schools that are participating in the Fresh to You Fundraiser.