The Y-Not? Anti-Poverty Program

Next, we began phase two. The Y-Not? team shopped for 45 hampers filled with all the other things needed to complete the recipes - potatoes, carrots, onions, corn, tomatoes, broth, spices, chocolate chips, coconut, raisins, brown sugar, peanut butter, flax seed, skim milk powder, cooking oil, baking powder, baking soda, salt, tortillas, salsa, and more!

Another momentous day at Niji Mahkwa School – in spite of the blizzard, hampers of items to complete the recipes and to accompany the winter grain bundles were successfully delivered and received!

Over the next week, the Y-Not? team delivered the remaining grain bundle buckets, cookbooks, and accompanying food hampers to other Y-Not? participant families.

Toward Food Security 🌾

In November 2025, Margaret and Amy of Adagio Acres connected to brainstorm a plan for increased food security, recognizing that now more than ever, people are hard hit by high food prices, inflation, and food scarcity. Amy took action, putting together from a variety of farms, winter grain bundles that included ten items of healthy local organic food – organic rolled naked oats, wild rice, black beans, pinto beans, split yellow peas, split green lentils, Red Fife flour, cornmeal, locally grown popcorn, and local clover honey. 🍀

Continuing the grand endeavor, the 10 food items went into two three-gallon pest-proof pails for each of the 45 families we would reach, a total of 90 pails! Meanwhile, Amy and a designer, Heather Lee, also came up with an accompanying cookbook of easy recipes. Adding to the discussion, Fred, Community Support Worker at Niji Mahkwa School, suggested the school community could try out and learn the recipes in the school cooking facility. Participants and the Y-Not? team could create posts of recipes completed.

Grain bundle delivery day at Niji Mahkwa School was truly momentous!

Toward Food Security 🌾

December 2025 was vibrantly busy with Y-Not? work. MacKinnon’s Y-Not? Anti-Poverty Program set in motion a wonderful innovation for 45 families in need, 32 through Niji Mahkwa School. Annually, we provide substantial long-lasting hampers to the school, but this year took a unique twist.

Margaret Shaw-MacKinnon of the Y-Not? connected with Amy Nikkel of Adagio Acres and Niji Mahkwa School staff, Principal Reuben Boulette, VP Leigh Anne Dysart, and Community Support Worker, Fred Boulanger, to make inroads and carry out a food security project, with loyal and new donors enthusiastically providing the funds to make it happen.

We are so excited with how the bundles turned out!

Y-Not? Retrospective Series 💪🏻

November 27, 2024

We signed up a new group of Churchill students in need - also immigrants and refugees - with the great assistance of Teacher Kelly Friesen, Carol Frost (Director of Y Sales and Services), & Y Staff. In the photos below, we share students’ joy during the sign-up experience.

Photos: YMCA/YWCA Memberships & Hoodies for Churchill High School Students, with Margaret Shaw-MacKinnon, Eve MacKinnon and Teacher Kelly Friesen.

Y-Not? Retrospective Series ✌🏻

November 19 & November 26, 2024

50/50 Drop Off to General Wolfe & Isaac Brock

In November, we continued our popular 50/50 Drop Off, providing 50 Y-Not? Hoodies, and 50 Boxes of Granola Bars to stave off cold and take the edge off hunger. ❄️

Top Photos: Taylor Hunter, Phys-Ed teacher, Margaret Shaw-MacKinnon, Eve MacKinnon, & students at General Wolfe.

Bottom Photos: Principal Chris Goring, Vice Principal Amber Pelletier, Staff and Students, & Margaret Shaw-MacKinnon, at Isaac Brock.

Bottom Left: Brian MacKinnon & Margaret Shaw-MacKinnon with purchase of 200 boxes of 64 Granola Bars at Costco.

Photos by Art Digital Media

Y-Not? Retrospective Series 🥋👊🏻🌳

July 14, 2024

Karate in the Park Class and Picnic 🧺

In July of 2024, Sensei Alan Taylor and the Y-Not? team organized the annual Karate in the Park picnic and instructional event. Families of karate members of diverse cultures came together in community to share in a potluck of delicious international cuisine, while the Y-Not? provided BBQ burgers and hotdogs, along with snacks, drinks, and cake for the birthday occasion of one of our members. 🎂

Photos by Art Digital Media