ON Monday, underprivileged children from the Lower Mainland and their families were invited to Riverside Palace Banquet Hall in Richmond for a special Back to School event. Eighty-five children, their parents, care givers, volunteers and community partners came together for this event to help kids get a strong start to their school year.
The event started in 2023 with Henry Schein Foundation (BC Division) wanting to make a difference and give back to the community. Prashant Ohri, President at Henry Schein Canada Inc., said: “We wanted to help children kick off the school year on the right foot. After last year’s event we were inspired to give back more. So this year we supplied 85 backpacks and Nike shoes. We’re happy to be part of this community outreach through our British Columbia division. The Henry Schein Cares Foundation was established in 2008 by Henry Schein, Inc., a company that has long fostered a rich culture of giving back to society and serving others.”
Community organizer Harvey Kooner brought stakeholders together to share ideas and collaborate. He said: “After last year’s successful event, it was great to have the support of Henry Schein President Prashant Ohri and team. All the community partners from last year were on board again this year, so we decided to help two good causes: Kids Play and Richmond Food Bank. Riverside Banquet Halls once again generously provided the venue, staff, décor and delicious dinner, and it was wonderful to see all the community partners come aboard: Save On Foods, Islamic Relief Canada, BC Lions, Surrey Eagles, Richmond RCMP, Richmond Sunrise Rotary, Canucks Autism Network, Vancouver Whitecaps, Vancouver Bandits and the Victor Ghirra Toy Drive. It’s all about bringing the community together and making a difference.”
Guests arrived at a festive, lively Riverside Palace Banquet Hall with community partners ready to welcome everyone with activities, community information and games. The BC Lions and Surrey Eagles teams signed autographs and gave away mini-sticks, foam fingers, sports cards and hats. Kids brought an abundance of energy and smiles thanking community partners for being at the event. Richmond RCMP had a spinning wheel where kids picked up neat prizes.
Henry Schein Canada had kids practising their aim with a couple of games with ping pong balls and ring toss. Over at the Riverside Banquet Halls, Richmond Sunrise Rotary and Victor Ghirra Toy Drive booth there was a dual basketball hoop set-up where children tried to take their best shot. “We really wanted to give back and make a difference for Kids Play and Richmond Food Bank children. Children are our future and we wanted to support this outreach for back to school,” said Bobby Ghirra, General Manager, Riverside Banquet Halls.
Another community partner that stepped up to join the event this year was the Islamic Relief Canada organization that kindly gifted sling bags and soccer balls to children. Adnan Sheikh, Regional Manager – BC, Islamic Relief Canada, said: “Our vision: a more compassionate and just world where no one is left behind. It brought us happiness to join community partners to help those in need. Established in 1984, we envisage a caring world where communities are empowered, social obligations are fulfilled, and people respond as one to the suffering of others.”
KidsPlay is a non-profit organization working towards keeping kids away from the lifestyle of drugs, gangs, and violence. They believe their work will allow the youth to discover the potential they have within themselves to reach greater heights in any aspect of life. Kids Play Founder and CEO Kal Dosanjh said: “The Back-to-School Event was a testament to the power of the village. Multiple organizations from the community came together for one common purpose – to provide underserved youth with the supplies and resources they will need to thrive during the school year. Many thanks to Harvey Kooner for his outstanding efforts in organizing this event. Many of the youth participate year around in the Kids Play programs. I have personally seen these children flourish when they are provided vital support. It is important that we cultivate and foster positive early childhood development through healthy constructive outlets. I am proud of everyone that made today possible. The children left the event happy, and the parents left the event with hope.”
The Richmond Food Bank serves over 2,200 people on average every week. They provide nutritious grocery assistance through their grocery distributions, grocery parcels delivery service, breakfast and lunch programs in seven Richmond schools.
Many community partners came together to make this outreach a success and it would not have been possible without one of British Columbia’s best-known brands – save on Foods. “Save on Foods team believes in giving back, we heard about this outreach and wanted to help support families in need. We take pride in serving communities across our province. We are happy to support Kids Play and the Richmond Food Bank through this event, supporting our youth and building strong relationships with our customers,” said Jas Athwal, Director of Merchandising – Ethnic, Save on Foods.
For more information on how you can make get involved and make a difference in the community, contact Harvey Kooner at 604-671-4180 or harveykooner1@gmail.com.
