Darren Cole is a first year Commerce student at Queen’s, and the founder of Kids Against Canadian Hunger (KACH). KACH is a charity that works through Toronto schools to raise money for Food Banks Canada and educate students about Canadian hunger.
Darren’s charitable work began in 2000 when he and his two brothers began packing backpacks with school supplies for children who could not afford them. Over four years they filled almost 10,000 backpacks with 1 million dollars worth of supplies obtained through corporate sponsorship. The backpacks were distributed by the Daily Bread Food Bank, which is how Darren became involved with the issue of hunger in Canada. He then founded KACH in 2008, when he was in grade 9. On his website, www.KidsAgainstCanadianHunger.com, Darren explains, “We all know world hunger is a big issue. But did you know that there are many people across Canada who cannot afford food? K.A.C.H. is targeted at Canadian hunger because there are many people in our own country who still do not have enough food to eat. In such a rich country, this is a serious tragedy”. Last year there were 90,000 users of food banks in Canada, so KACH is addressing a significant need. It is volunteer-run, and all fundraising proceeds are given to Food Banks Canada.
Darren had some advice for students looking to work in the non-profit sector or start their own organization. “Be passionate. Everyone says it, but you’re going to be putting in a lot of time so you should be working towards something you’re passionate about.” Bringing together a group of people with similar goals has also been important for Darren. “You motivate each other working in a team. It’s a great environment to be in.” Moreover, Darren emphasized that dedication and persistence are important attributes when founding an organization. He started KACH during the recession, at a time when it was difficult to obtain sponsorship funding despite an increased need for food banks. “Sometimes it can be hard to get things going, but really stick with it,” he said of this experience. “In contacting people for sponsorship, a lot of people are scared to hear a no, but you really can’t lose anything. If you contact more people you’ll get more responses.” Darren’s hard work and commitment paid off – he obtained sponsorship from Kraft and Kellogg. “Once you’ve established, there really is a snowball effect – things build fast and that motivates you to keep going.” Darren is still the driving force behind KACH, and his friend Nobu helps him keep things running smoothly in Toronto when he is in Kingston. Darren looks forward to establishing a structured committee to oversee KACH’s Toronto operations during his time at Queen’s.
The non-profit sector provides many opportunities for Commerce students to develop their skills and pursue challenging, rewarding jobs. Darren agreed that in a non-profit organization, “the intent for where the money is going is different, but you’re still using skills you need in business.” He said his work with KACH requires “a lot of skills that are transferrable to the business world. Communication is really important. So is leadership – you’re always working with other people towards a common goal.” Darren said that in the not-for-profit and for-profit sectors alike, “there’s always an opportunity to step up and do more, even in a big organization.”
What can Commerce students do to help alleviate hunger in Canada? “Spread awareness about the problem,” said Darren. “People don’t realize how bad things can be in Canada.” We can also support our communities by donating to local food banks.
Darren welcomes students to reach out to him for help with fundraisers, or with any questions about KACH or working with non-profits. He can be contacted at darrenrcole@sympatico.ca.
For more information about Darren, KACH, and Canadian hunger, please visit www.KidsAgainstCanadianHunger.com.
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Darren Cole is a first year Commerce student at Queen’s, and the founder of Kids Against Canadian Hunger (KACH). KACH is a charity that works through Toronto schools to raise money for Food Banks Canada and educate students about Canadian hunger.
Darren’s charitable work began in 2000 when he and his two brothers began packing backpacks with school supplies for children who could not afford them. Over four years they filled almost 10,000 backpacks with 1 million dollars worth of supplies obtained through corporate sponsorship. The backpacks were distributed by the Daily Bread Food Bank, which is how Darren became involved with the issue of hunger in Canada. He then founded KACH in 2008, when he was in grade 9. On his website, www.KidsAgainstCanadianHunger.com, Darren explains, “We all know world hunger is a big issue. But did you know that there are many people across Canada who cannot afford food? K.A.C.H. is targeted at Canadian hunger because there are many people in our own country who still do not have enough food to eat. In such a rich country, this is a serious tragedy”. Last year there were 90,000 users of food banks in Canada, so KACH is addressing a significant need. It is volunteer-run, and all fundraising proceeds are given to Food Banks Canada.
Darren had some advice for students looking to work in the non-profit sector or start their own organization. “Be passionate. Everyone says it, but you’re going to be putting in a lot of time so you should be working towards something you’re passionate about.” Bringing together a group of people with similar goals has also been important for Darren. “You motivate each other working in a team. It’s a great environment to be in.” Moreover, Darren emphasized that dedication and persistence are important attributes when founding an organization. He started KACH during the recession, at a time when it was difficult to obtain sponsorship funding despite an increased need for food banks. “Sometimes it can be hard to get things going, but really stick with it,” he said of this experience. “In contacting people for sponsorship, a lot of people are scared to hear a no, but you really can’t lose anything. If you contact more people you’ll get more responses.” Darren’s hard work and commitment paid off – he obtained sponsorship from Kraft and Kellogg. “Once you’ve established, there really is a snowball effect – things build fast and that motivates you to keep going.” Darren is still the driving force behind KACH, and his friend Nobu helps him keep things running smoothly in Toronto when he is in Kingston. Darren looks forward to establishing a structured committee to oversee KACH’s Toronto operations during his time at Queen’s.
The non-profit sector provides many opportunities for Commerce students to develop their skills and pursue challenging, rewarding jobs. Darren agreed that in a non-profit organization, “the intent for where the money is going is different, but you’re still using skills you need in business.” He said his work with KACH requires “a lot of skills that are transferrable to the business world. Communication is really important. So is leadership – you’re always working with other people towards a common goal.” Darren said that in the not-for-profit and for-profit sectors alike, “there’s always an opportunity to step up and do more, even in a big organization.”
What can Commerce students do to help alleviate hunger in Canada? “Spread awareness about the problem,” said Darren. “People don’t realize how bad things can be in Canada.” We can also support our communities by donating to local food banks.
Darren welcomes students to reach out to him for help with fundraisers, or with any questions about KACH or working with non-profits. He can be contacted at darrenrcole@sympatico.ca.
For more information about Darren, KACH, and Canadian hunger, please visit www.KidsAgainstCanadianHunger.com.
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