In the community of Fort Resolution, grade-nine student Marlin Miersch-King has been busy both raising money and helping feed other students at his school.
“I noticed when I was at school, kids in my class would be kind of hungry,” said Marlin. “They would be moaning and groaning, saying how hungry they are … so I decided that my community project would be to help the kids get filled up with snacks.”
Marlin says the idea came from a SMASH (Strength, Masculinities, and Sexual Health) retreat he attended.
Marlin’s mother, Brandie Miersch,did note that there was a breakfast program at the school, but was told by her soon that sometimes students who arrived late wouldn’t get a chance to have something.
“[Breakfast] goes around roughly about 8:15, 8:30,” said Brandie. “So for the kids that are in the classrooms then, there’s enough snacks and breakfast. Like granola bars, apple sauce and juice boxes are dropped off.”
“And Marlin said, ‘But Mom, a lot of the kids on the high school side, a lot of them come late, so when they come late there’s nothing left.”
Following this, Marlin and his grandmother (who worked at the school), penned a a donation letter together, which Brandie and Marlin went to deliver.
Marlin’s goal was to raise $1,500 for food and snacks that he could provide to students, a goal he said was quickly realized.
“I had three big organizations in the community,” said Marlin. “(The Hamlet of Fort Resolution SAO, the Fort Resolution Metis President and the Chief of Deninu Kųę́ First Nation) were all happy to donate $500 each.”
According to Brandie, Marlin went and spoke to all three organizations.
“His father and myself are very proud,” said Brandie. “He achieved his $1,500 very quickly, within a day or two.”
$500 of the $1,500 worked as a credit to the band-owned store in the area, well the other $1,000 was put back into the community.
“The Band has been amazing,” said Brandie. “They went above their 500 dollars because they are covering all the extra shipping costs on everything, the taxes, they’re selling what Marlin orders just at cost price.”
The first cases of snacks have already been delivered to the school with contents such as oranges, apples, and bananas.