FILL FOR THE FUTURE: EDMONTON SHOWS UP FOR LOCAL YOUTH

Hailey Bell
4 hours ago
5 min read

188 backpacks. More than 200 community members. Over 30 door prizes. And one afternoon dedicated to reminding Edmonton youth that their community is behind them.

On August 29, 2026, Eastwood Community Hall was filled with families, volunteers, community organizations, local businesses, advocates and supporters for Fill For The Future, a Back to School BBQ and Backpack Giveaway created to help local youth begin the school year with the supplies — and support — they deserve.

What began as an idea from Dre Richards of Healthy Aligned Living grew into a collaborative community effort alongside Sober Homies Society, Crystal Kids Youth Centre, YESS and Comets Crew, with contributions from organizations, businesses, volunteers and community leaders from across Edmonton.

Building Momentum Before Event Day

In the weeks leading up to Fill For The Future, the initiative began gaining attention beyond the organizations directly involved.

On August 13, CFWE Northern Alberta featured Fill For The Future ahead of the event, highlighting the financial pressures families can face while preparing children for a new school year and introducing the community initiative being organized in response.

As part of the feature, CFWE spoke with Sara Bourgeois of Sober Homies Society and Dre Richards of Healthy Aligned Living about their decision to work together and why events like Fill For The Future can be important for local families.

The coverage helped carry the message beyond the event itself, giving Edmonton families another opportunity to learn about the backpack giveaway, community resources and support that would be available on August 29.

Listen here: CFWE Northern Alberta — Fill For The Future: Back to School Event!

An Afternoon of Community, Connection and Fun

A free community BBQ kept families fed while games and activities gave kids plenty to do. A game of musical chairs brought some friendly competition into the mix, while more than 30 door prizes added to the excitement as winners were announced throughout the event.

Music helped set the atmosphere, although there was a last-minute change behind the scenes. When the event’s planned DJ was no longer able to attend, Hailey Bell, CEO of Comets Crew, stepped behind the DJ booth to keep the music going.

Entertainment continued with Robert Dante bringing magic to the event, Balloonatic YEG adding to the fun, and Moose and Maple Games providing jumbo games for kids to enjoy throughout the afternoon. CommuniTEA from Skills Society created another space for community connection, while professional MC Danny Bay helped guide the afternoon, keeping things moving between activities, entertainment and guest speakers.

At the center of it all were the backpacks.

Families moved through the event surrounded by volunteers, organizations and community supporters who had come together to make sure local youth could head into a new school year with supplies in hand. It was busy, energetic and full of moving pieces — but underneath the food, entertainment and giveaways was something intentional: creating an environment where families could enjoy themselves while also being surrounded by people and organizations ready to support them.

Voices of Recovery, Resilience and Community

Throughout the afternoon, guest speakers shared perspectives rooted in recovery, resilience, community support and the importance of ensuring young people know there are people and resources available when they need them.

Dre Richards of Healthy Aligned Living opened the speaking portion of the event, followed by Councillor Mike Elliott, Edmonton City Councillor for Ward pihêsiwin. Jan Folk of SMART Recovery Canada and Sara Bourgeois of Sober Homies Society and Edmonton Sober Moms Club also took the stage, each bringing a different perspective to the conversation.

The speakers came from different backgrounds and organizations, but their presence reinforced a common theme: challenges such as substance use, mental health struggles, poverty, bullying and difficult circumstances do not have to determine a young person’s future.

For families attending Fill For The Future, the afternoon offered more than tangible support. It also created an opportunity to hear from people actively working within Edmonton’s recovery, youth and community-support networks — and from those willing to share lived experiences that demonstrated the possibility of change, connection and a different path forward.

Looking Toward the Future

The success of this year’s event has also opened conversations about what Fill For The Future could become. One possibility discussed following the event is expanding the initiative with a future goal of reaching as many as 1,500 backpacks, with hopes of securing additional municipal and government support to help make that growth possible.

While those plans remain an ambition for the future, the response to this year’s event demonstrated a strong foundation to build from — and an opportunity to reach even more Edmonton youth in the years ahead.

Made Possible by Community

Fill For The Future was supported by an incredible network of businesses, organizations, community leaders and individuals who contributed resources, donations, services, promotion and time to help bring the event together.

Special acknowledgement goes to Alberta Blue Cross, CFWE Radio, CJWE 88.1 FM, the City of Edmonton, Eastwood Community League, Capital Irrigation Inc., Raj – Medisense, Convo with Marlo, Magnum York Property Management, H&W Produce, Square One DTF, Italian Centre Shop, Lonestar Lumber, Value Village and TROUBLEMANIA Hip Hop Show.

Community support also came from Councillor Mike Elliott, MLA Janis Irwin, Councillor Reed Clarke, Councillor Anne Stevenson and MLA Nicole Goehring.

Additional thanks go to KARA Family Resource Centre, REACH Edmonton, CommuniTEA from Skills Society, Balloonatic YEG, Moose and Maple Games, Robert Dante and Danny Bay, along with everyone who helped amplify and promote the event behind the scenes.

Finally, thank you to every person who donated supplies, packed backpacks, volunteered, contributed a door prize, shared the event, helped with setup and cleanup, or simply showed up to support Edmonton youth and families.

Fill For The Future was a collective effort, and every contribution played a part in what was accomplished on August 29.

What Edmonton Accomplished Together

Fill For The Future showed what can happen when an idea is met with people willing to help bring it to life.

The backpacks will head into classrooms. The school supplies will be put to use. The photographs will preserve hundreds of moments from the afternoon. But the impact of Fill For The Future extends beyond what could be packed into a bag or captured in a photograph.

The message behind the event remained simple: