Recently, Sands Secondary student Anika Kini came up with the novel idea of creating a domino train at the school using boxes of cereal, which she then donated to the Salvation Army, Mamas for Mamas, and the New Hope Church in Delta.
Anika runs The New Horizons Foundation with her sister Aditi. They have organized several charitable initiatives during the past six years to benefit local and global causes. Although Anika’s sister has moved to Ontario to continue her university education, Anika was keen to continue working on good deeds in the community, particularly at this time when food insecurity is so prevalent. She felt the cereal box domino train would be a fun and visually appealing project that would also contribute to the well-being of people in need.
Anika was strategic in her approach to obtain the cereal boxes needed for the domino train. After receiving a $3,500 grant through the Intercultural Youth Services Corps Program, affiliated with the Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society, Anika contacted Nature’s Path to explain her initiative and place a bulk order for cereal. Nature’s Path donated 500 cereal boxes and gave her a 25% discount on her order, enabling her to purchase more cereal than anticipated. They also reached out to SPUD to assist with delivery, who in turn contributed 10% more cereal. With the donations from Sands Secondary students, family and friends, Nature’s Path and SPUD, Anika collected 1,400 cereal boxes for the domino train.
“I chose the Salvation Army, Mamas for Mamas and the New Hope Church in Delta as recipients for the cereal boxes from my project due to their impactful work in addressing community needs,” said Anika.
“The Salvation Army has a longstanding reputation for supporting individuals facing various challenges, including food insecurity. Their commitment to helping vulnerable populations aligns with the goal of my project, aiming to make a meaningful contribution to those in need. Similarly, Mamas for Mamas caught my attention for their focus on supporting mothers and families facing poverty-related issues. I have worked with this organization in the past. Recognizing the unique struggles that mothers often encounter and the goal of our foundation being woman empowerment, I saw an opportunity to contribute to Mamas for Mamas, as it aligns with our foundation values.
Along with these organizations, I also donated cereal boxes to the New Hope Church in Delta. I had seen long lines of people waiting for food since my kindergarten days at Immaculate Conception School and always hoped I could one day donate some food myself. By directing the cereal box donations towards these organizations, I aimed to ensure that the impact of my project reaches those who can benefit most from the support offered by these organizations.”
Another objective for this initiative was to collaborate and build community spirit at Sands Secondary, with the help of Mr. Mesich, Principal, Mr. Inkster, Vice Principal and Ms. Goudry, Teacher for Grad Quest, Supportive Learning. Anika engaged a group of fellow students from the school’s Fit for Life program to set up the domino train. It took the students an hour to set up the domino train and just over two minutes for the boxes to fall!
What a great initiative to help those in need in our community! Please visit Anika’s website for more information on the many wonderful initiatives Anika and her sister have organized: https://www.thenewhorizonsfoundation.com
