Penticton Drive-Thru Breakfast Raises Funds for Kids

Cars snaked out to the highway at 9 a.m. on a Tuesday morning, but nobody was complaining about the wait.

Hundreds of Penticton residents showed up for the first Drive-Thru Breakfast fundraiser at Canadian Tire, creating lines that organizers could barely believe. Some families ordered 22 breakfasts in a single vehicle, stocking up to support two causes that directly help local kids.

The event paired the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation with the Feedway Foundation. All proceeds will split between upgrades to the Women and Children's Centre at Penticton Regional Hospital and breakfast programs that feed 1,000 students weekly at four local schools.

"There's so much happiness here, how could you not love this?" said Tracy Van Raes, director of growth and regional development with the SOS Medical Foundation. She watched volunteers serve hot meals to smiling drivers throughout the morning.

Johnny Aantjes, president of the Feedway Foundation, helped create the event after years of involvement with similar fundraisers. This time, he wanted something purely focused on the community. The Feedway Foundation runs full breakfast programs at four schools with 80 volunteers who cook meals throughout the school year.

The Ripple Effect

The fundraiser's impact extends beyond breakfast sandwiches and hospital equipment. Part of the proceeds will specifically support Summerland youth recovering from the Bald Range wildfire, giving young people assistance during a difficult time.

The Feedway Foundation also pays its mission forward to other local groups like the Animal Lifeline Emergency Response Team. When kids eat well at school, they learn better, which strengthens the entire community for years to come.

Local sponsors lined up to contribute food and drinks, from Tim Hortons coffee to breakfast sandwiches cooked on-site. The community response proved that people want to invest in children's wellbeing when given a convenient, joyful way to help.

Final fundraising totals weren't available immediately due to pre-orders and sponsor donations still being counted, but organizers called the turnout beyond their hopes for a first-time event.

Next year's breakfast already has a lot to live up to.