I’ve always appreciated and been impressed by local businesses that find ways to give back to their communities in ways that truly make an impact and aren’t solely performative. There are many small businesses doing business for good, but every once in a while, I come across an initiative that really impresses me.
This Thanksgiving, that business was Snackish, a Vancouver-founded, women-led snack brand created by Tara Bosch and launched just this year. Snackish chips are better-for-you potato chips made with potato protein, prebiotic fibre and avocado oil.
I was invited to be part of Mamasgiving, a Snackish initiative to provide 400 families across the Lower Mainland with a complete Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey, all the fixings, gravy, desserts and snacks, everything needed for a proper, nutritious and delicious Thanksgiving meal.
It’s a pretty ambitious undertaking for any business, let alone a local one fresh off its own launch. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I volunteered to be a delivery driver, but when I arrived to pick up my birds, I was genuinely impressed by what Tara and her team had put together.
A Different Way to Kick Off Thanksgiving Weekend
On the Friday before the Thanksgiving long weekend, I joined a large group of volunteers, about 200 I think, to assemble and deliver meals to families in the community.
When I arrived, I couldn’t believe how well organized everything was. There were volunteers everywhere, cars lined up to be loaded, and hundreds of turkey dinners ready to go.
The efficiency of getting 400 complete Thanksgiving dinners into volunteers’ cars was impressive. And what I enjoyed just as much was the atmosphere. I saw many familiar faces and had the chance to chat with several other volunteers, many of whom had brought their kids along to help. I loved seeing families making volunteering part of their Thanksgiving weekend. What a great way to show kids the importance of helping others in their community. There was a real sense that everyone was happy to be there, giving a few hours of their time to make someone else’s holiday a little easier.
Of course, an initiative of this size takes more than volunteers. Snackish partnered with BabyGoRound, a local non-profit organization that helps connect families with essential resources and support. BabyGoRound played an important role in connecting Mamasgiving with the families who would receive the dinners. Legends Haul also stepped up in a big way, donating the turkeys for the Thanksgiving meals. I love seeing local businesses and organizations come together, each contributing what they can to make an initiative possible.
Three Thanksgiving Dinners Delivered
I was assigned three families, and my job was to drop off their Thanksgiving dinners at their doors. Each delivery included a full turkey dinner with gravy, sides, desserts and snacks, and took two trips from my car to the door. Each recipient was so grateful and made me feel like Santa. It was a relatively small commitment on my part, but it was definitely time well spent.
We often think about volunteering as something that requires a significant amount of time or a long-term commitment. This was a great reminder that even a few hours can make a difference, particularly when hundreds of people are contributing in their own way.
The Impact of a Local Business
What impressed me most about Mamasgiving was the initiative behind it. Tara and her team took an idea, brought together local businesses, community partners and volunteers, and turned it into 400 Thanksgiving dinners for families across the Lower Mainland. That’s no small accomplishment.
I think it’s easy to underestimate the influence a local business can have beyond the products or services it sells. Snackish is a great example of how a business can use its connections and community to accomplish something much bigger.
And judging by the number of volunteers who showed up, Tara has clearly built a community of people who are eager to support what she’s doing. It’s the kind of initiative that makes me appreciate our local business community even more.
A Great Start to the Long Weekend
By the time I’d finished my three deliveries, I couldn’t help but think what a great way it had been to start Thanksgiving weekend.
I’d spent a few hours meeting other volunteers, watching an incredibly well-organized community effort come together, and helping three families enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner. For a weekend that’s supposed to be about gratitude, it felt like a particularly fitting way to begin.
Huge gratitude to Tara and everyone at Snackish, along with BabyGoRound, Legends Haul and all the volunteers, for making this initiative happen and giving so many of us the opportunity to participate.
Four hundred Thanksgiving dinners delivered to local families is something to be proud of. I’m very glad I got to be a small part of it.
