Bruce Stewart, Nesters Market and Nesters’ customers have been huge supporters of Zero Ceiling for many years. Right now, we’re in need of your help once more. We’re running low on Nesters points, which our young people use to purchase and cook healthy meals. If you’re a Nesters customer, please consider donating your points to Zero Ceiling during our points drive – from now until June 11.
Cooking up a storm at the Zero Ceiling house
Read our full letter to the editor from this week’s Pique Newsmagazine below, to find out why Nesters points donations are so important.
We all know that Whistler is a unique and inspiring place to live. The mountains that brought many of us here always bring joy, opportunity and peace to our lives. That’s why Zero Ceiling has based its programs for homeless young people here for over 20 years.
We believe that the people we serve—young people from the Sea to Sky corridor and Lower Mainland who have experienced homelessness—deserve to experience this rich mountain life as much as we do.
When our Work 2 Live participants move here for twelve months, they do so hoping to build an independent, healthier life for themselves.Nonetheless, over those twenty years it’s become increasingly difficult to live a healthy life here, as the cost of living has risen across the board. For our participants, who often arrive here with nothing, often coming from a youth shelter, sometimes estranged from family, it can be even more challenging.
One of the first things we must address is making sure they get enough healthy food on a daily basis.For years, Bruce Stewart, Nesters Market, and Nesters customers, have been a lifeline in this regard. Thanks to ongoing generous donations of Nesters’ points, we have been able to provide participants with gift cards to purchase their weekly groceries.
Healthy, wholesome, tasty food, thanks to our Nesters points donations
Over the last year, this has added up to over 1,000 meals purchased and cooked by our participants. Throughout the program, we emphasize budgeting, cooking and healthy eating, so that when they graduate they take healthy habits with them.
We also share a family dinner once a week; a vital chance to share food and connect.
Nesters Market goes above and beyond for us, often donating food for special occasions like Christmas dinner, and other events throughout the year.This month, more young people will join our Work 2 Live program, eager to begin building a new life for themselves.
Unfortunately, right now we are running low on Nesters points, making it difficult for us to provide healthy food for these young people week in, week out. So, we’re asking for a little support from the fantastic Whistler community. For the entire month of May, we will be running a Points Drive at Nesters.
Sharing food at our weekly Family Dinner – a chance to connect
If you want to give a little back, and support the wonderful young people in our programs, please consider donating your points. All you need to do is ask the cashier at any register to donate your points to Zero Ceiling.
You will be helping driven, hard-working young people to transform their lives. We—and they—are hugely grateful as always.
Lizi McLoughlin
Zero Ceiling Society of Canada