With wildfires in the province displacing people from their homes, a local Kelowna woman is offering free food and essentials to evacuees in the city.

Kenya Thompson is a student at Carleton University who moved back home to Kelowna during the pandemic for online distance learning. She was inspired to give back to her community after the Dilworth Mountain fire, which was a scary experience for her. Her mother also works for a long-term care home in West Kelowna and was helping with evacuation efforts in the area. So, Thompson decided to help evacuees with resources she had at home.

sa国际传媒淚 have a car. I have chickens out back that make a lot of eggs. I have food, so there has to be something I can do,sa国际传媒� said Thompson.

READ MORE: UPDATE: 10 Okanagan Indian Band homes, 1 business lost in White Rock Lake wildfire

READ MORE: No significant growth observed at Mount Law wildfire near West Kelowna

Thompson said she reached out to the Emergency Support Services (ESS) reception centre at 1480 Sutherland Avenue in Kelowna to inquire how she can help. She was put on a list of people who can help provide essential goods, but that was not going anywhere. She tried to post on various Facebook groups, but the website kept flagging her posts for spam, so she decided to post on Twitter instead.

sa国际传媒淚 had the willingness to give what I have, especially when I see people trying to help online in small ways,sa国际传媒� said Thompson. sa国际传媒淚 just want to give back in any way that I could.sa国际传媒�

Fire evacuees in Kelowna! Need a free meal or basic essentials? Isa国际传媒檒l make up a meal for you/your family and bring it to you wherever yousa国际传媒檙e staying in the Kelowna area!

sa国际传媒� kenya (@khftho)

So far, Thompson hasnsa国际传媒檛 had anyone take up her offer for free food, but she will continue to offer help before she has to leave for school. The last thing an evacuee wants to worry about is whether or not they can afford food on top of all the hotel and accommodation fees they have to pay.

sa国际传媒淎 lot of people are coming to Kelowna, so itsa国际传媒檚 just nice not to have to pay for food and just have someone who is willing to offer it,sa国际传媒� Thompson said.

sa国际传媒淭here are people in the community that care. Donsa国际传媒檛 be afraid to reach out,sa国际传媒� she added.

Thompson also has some stern words to say about the provincial leadership or the perceived lack thereof. People are looking for a strong leader who is willing to vocalize that communities are here to help, but she said the Premier and his cabinet have not done a good job.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 disappointing that the provincial government arensa国际传媒檛 being visible when a lot of people in the Okanagan valley are struggling,sa国际传媒� she said.

READ MORE: West Kelowna veterinary clinic offers free pet boarding for evacuees

paula.tran@kelownacapnews.com
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