It is with great excitement that Murray Honda Chilliwack and Chilliwack Bowls of Hope Society announce their new collaboration regarding two very important programs in the community, the Project Warmth and We Got Your Back supply programs. Project Warmth, recently launched for 2022, is now officially under the umbrella of Chilliwack Bowls of Hope Society. This exciting move will ensure continued growth is supported as needs evolve within the community, and brings full circle a partnership that had its beginnings at the start of these programs.

Project Warmth began back in 2012 when Murray Honda’s Justin Mallard reached out to Mike Csoka and Cindy Waters of Chilliwack Bowls of Hope Society. Justin was moved by the amazing work they were doing, providing nourishing meals to at risk children within the Chilliwack school district. Their partnership was built on a common passion and commitment to supporting families facing hardship, and in that first year provided 400 brand new winter coats to the students on the society’s Feed the Children Program. When these coats were delivered, volunteers were met with stories of the daily struggles district staff face in supporting the most in need families. These critical conversations with administrators created a call to action, and the official Project Warmth program was created between Murray Honda, Canadian Tire and an amazing set of local businesses that share the same commitment to supporting children and youth in need.

Over the last ten years these programs have evolved and expanded to offer a vast array of support to two local school districts. Murray Honda along with Chilliwack Canadian Tire, Chilliwack Staples and other amazing partners within the community have been working hand in hand with the Chilliwack School District and more recently Fraser Cascade School District. The programs, aimed at supporting students experiencing hardships acquiring warm outdoor clothing and school supplies, has helped to remove some barriers for families. Since these local sponsors joined forces, thousands of children and youth from Chilliwack to Boston Bar have received over one million dollars in brand new winter coats, footwear, school supplies, tablets, computers and garden supplies for school gardens. This support would not be possible without the yearly commitment of program sponsors, a complete list of which can be found on the community page on the Murray Honda and Chilliwack Bowls of Hope Society’s websites.

Chilliwack Bowls of Hope Society, a charitable organization currently feeding over 950 food insecure children in 28 schools in Chilliwack and the Upper Fraser Valley, has been in operation since 2005 and provides other food security programs through their Hands Up Chilliwack! meal kit program, their Community Roots community garden, their BC Farmer’s Market Association Nutrition Coupon Program as well as through their partnership in the Chilliwack Community and Upper Fraser Valley Regional Food Hubs. They are dedicated to supporting immediate and long term food security through the provision of food, gardening opportunities, education and skill building, and by working towards food sovereignty for all. “It’s a natural fit for our organization to expand the support we already provide to these same children” commented Cindy Waters, Executive Director of the society. “We also provide scholarships for post secondary education and anything that we can do to help students stay in school and be successful is a win for the community as a whole.”

Justin Mallard, Community Engagement Manager, Murray Honda stated “All our partners are very excited to see the future our programs will hold under the bright umbrella of Chilliwack Bowls of Hope Society.”

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