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Celebrating Another Year of Youth Volunteerism

Grace Ihejiamaizu & Rayna Almas

National Volunteer Week has a tendency to sneak up on us. It’s always in April, and April is the ramp-up to our busiest time of year with Youth in Food Systems. Dozens of youth are coming aboard as Market & Garden Leaders, Media Team members, and Interviewers. The gardens are coming alive, schools are requesting their seeds and seedlings, and staff are being hired for the busy summer season ahead. 

April also happens to be YFS’ anniversary month. We began in April 2021 with a vision and a set of goals (and many ideas!) for how to create impact. Five years later, and the program has grown a whole lot, but the vision and the goals have remained the same: to empower high school aged youth to become confident and competent food systems leaders through supported, self-driven projects that inspire knowledge building, skills development, career exploration, and connections to peers, mentors, and community. 

So, April really is the perfect time to reflect, appreciate, and celebrate the youth that make the program not only possible, but beautiful and lively and a joy to show up for every day.

The Adult Allies of YFS

Before we get into all of the amazing accomplishments of our youth volunteers, we also want to recognize the Adult Allies who have enriched the program immensely over the last year. These are our Garden Mentors, Seed Mentors, Interviewees, and field trip & workshop facilitators, bringing knowledge, energy and generosity to the youth. Thanks to each of them for being who they are, and for dedicating themselves to the betterment of our food systems by supporting youth food leadership and learning.

The Youth of YFS

Let’s take a look at what the youth of YFS have been up to these last 12 months, from our last NVW edition to today

🌱 125+ high school students joined the program, fulfilling more than 1800 hours 

🌱 Our blog team wrote, edited, designed, and published 84 posts about food systems and sustainability

🌱Our social media team researched and designed 25 posts on our Instagram page 

🌱 Season 5 of the Food Leader Interview Series brought with it 5 new video and audio episodes on careers in biotech, community health, farmland protection, and more

🌱 32 Market & Garden Leaders led the growing and distributing of food through 21 Youth Food Markets in Waterloo Region, selling and donating over 900lbs of produce to 252 individuals and families during summer 2025

🌱21 Seed Stewards co-ran the inter-school seed library in Waterloo Region, sourcing, packaging, and distributing more than 900 packets of seeds to 29 schools & community groups and 3 Seedy Saturday events.

In Their Words

“My time at Youth and Food Systems has been life-changing. I began volunteering here in grade 10 after seeing an email from my guidance counselor about this opportunity. I was drawn in by my passion for gardening, sustainability, and urban planning. Throughout my time volunteering, I have made incredible memories, working alongside other teens who share my interests. From planting and tending gardens across the region to serving as a YFS Market Leader, each experience has enriched my life. One of the highlights was the opportunity to interview Chef Tompson Tran of The Wooden Boat Food Company, which inspired me even further. I am truly grateful for everything I have learned and the connections I have made.”

• Daniella, 2023-2026 Interviewer & 2023 Market Leader

“[..] Looking back on my first day compared to my last, I’m surprised by how much I really loved this experience. At first, I wasn’t sure what to expect since gardening had never been a big interest of mine. However, volunteering with YFS turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made. I met so many new people, grew closer with my peers in the garden, built valuable connections in my community, and loved the feeling of giving back.”

• Nabihah, 2025 Market & Garden Leader

“Something that surprised me was just how much I learned and experienced from being part of the market. Even though I didn’t plant anything myself, I still got to see how everything came together and how important preparation and communication were. Overall, I really enjoyed my time volunteering for YFS, and I hope to do it again next year. I loved all the learning and growing I did, the new experiences I had, and I found it all really useful for future jobs and customer service.”

• Zoe, 2025 Market Leader 

What's Coming Next

The energy of National Volunteer Week carries us right into our busiest and most exciting season. Over the coming months, our new cohort of Market & Garden Leaders, Media Team members, and Interviewers will be hitting the ground running - tending gardens, documenting stories, and building the kind of hands-on food systems experience that only YFS can offer. Schools are receiving their seeds and seedlings, summer staff are being onboarded, and the momentum is building fast. If this past year is any indication, the youth of YFS are just getting started.
 

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Follow along as we continue to grow, learn, and lead:
🍅 Instagram page: @youthinfoodsystems
🍅 Facebook page: Youth in Food Systems
🍅 Subscribe to our monthly newsletter 

Back to April 2026 Newsletter