REGINA - A Regina high schooler is looking to combat food insecurity one creation at a time.
Davey Steenhuisen, a student at Thom Collegiate, recently started a business, 'Baubles for Bellies,' where he makes beads to sell to aid those needing food.
Davey will spend two to three days a week making beads, which can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes.
Davey got the idea from his personal experience with food insecurity.
"I’ve had no lunches in the past school years to take with me."
Davey said he often finds whatever is in the fridge, whether that be a yogurt or a snack cup, to last him through the day.
"Being hungry can affect me a lot," he said.
Davey mentioned that his friends also struggle with food insecurity, which upsets him.
"They help me a lot through school, so I don’t want that to happen to them."
As a high schooler, Davey said it can be tough to admit the challenges of food insecurity.
"If people open up about their issues, they could start getting bullied."
That’s why Davey hopes to address food insecurity on his own, donating portions of money to people and groups.
He plans to invest 25 per cent of the earnings from the beads towards giving money to the Regina Food Bank, while another 25 per cent goes towards kids needing meals in high school.
Another portion would go towards getting more supplies for beads.
"I want kids across Regina to have food in their bellies, even homeless people."
"He always has a big heart," said Davey’s mom, Brandee Steenhuisen.
Brandee pointed out there are not many lunch programs to help older kids, who she believes need it more because of their workload.
She also admitted feeling embarrassed and "like a failure" multiple times for not giving her kid a chance to have better nutrients.
Even though Brandee can’t support her son financially, she will aid his cause in any way possible.
If Davey’s efforts could affect one person, Brandee said, "that would be big for me."
She added, "It doesn’t take much for a person to be helped. You just have to put the time and effort in."
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