The Impact of the GLS | Helping Local Children One Loaf at a Time

Growing up, Kate Craine always dreamed of a job that involved helping people. At a young age, she realized many kids in her own neighborhood in Bowmanville, Canada were living in situations that could use local support. Many of these families experience financial struggles for different reasons, but she felt that kids should be free to be kids and not have to take on this burden. She quickly developed a deep empathy for these kids, and wanted to do something to offer them hope.

When Kate became a Christian, she realized that one of the church’s missions was to serve. She grasped onto this idea, and became a part of her church’s growing community. As her heart for God grew, so did her passion for changing her little town. Out of her passion, she co-founded a non-profit organization called Brunchkins in order to strengthen the community through a breakfast and lunch program in non-profit and government housing. Over the last three years, they’ve grown and through the generosity of local food drives, businesses and churches, they now feed 300 meals every week to kids in kindergarten through 8^th grade. Kate is passionate about the work and coming alongside families to build and strengthen the community. “One mom is able to put a little money aside in order for her kids to attend university someday,” Kate shares. “I’m proud of that. I’m proud of the little things. I get excited to see all the little boots lined up at the door and the lives they represent. I love having the families be a part of it, and bringing the community together to meet the needs of these kids. Change is happening. This is God’s work.”

Kate was excited about what was happening in her community. She saw opportunity for growth, but she also realized their model was not sustainable. So she came up with an idea to start a profitable business that could fund the program. Not knowing whether the idea would work or not, she put her idea on the shelf.

But then she attended the Global Leadership Summit.

“The Summit was life changing,” Kate exclaims. “It put me on fire. Not only do I want to change my town of Bowmanville, I want to change the city of Clarington and beyond. It gave me focus, and helped me move forward with my vision.”

Because of the Summit, Kate started a business called One by One Breadworks, which is a wholesale bread company. The bread is sold at retail stands and in local businesses, and all the net profits go towards funding the Brunchkins program. “The Summit helped me realize my idea was possible,” Kate said. “And my vision grew! It wasn’t just one speaker, but the feeling of the entire event. I was so moved and captivated.” Kate’s grander vision starts with expanding into all the non-profit and government housing sites in Bowmanville, and then moving out to every town to start the program in every government housing site, and also getting One by One Breadworks into every city. “I picture the growth happening like food coloring dripped in water,” Kate explains. “One little drop spreads throughout the entire thing.”

The Summit launched Kate into a grander vision for changing children’s lives in Canada, and recommends that every leader attend the Summit this year. “I could sell the Summit to someone who said they never wanted to go!” exclaimed Kate. “It’s the best move you could make. I truly believe everybody is a leader one way or another. Just go. It’s life changing.”