Forces AVENIR Gala: Spotlight on a Pontiac Initiative — Les Carcajous Gourmands
Forces AVENIR Gala: Spotlight on a Pontiac Initiative — Les Carcajous Gourmands
The project Les Carcajous Gourmands from École secondaire Sieur-de-Coulonge won the silver medal for the Outaouais region in the “Engaged Project” category at the 18th Forces AVENIR Gala for high school students. Held on October 22, the gala highlighted this initiative, which was born from a desire to take concrete action against food insecurity in the Pontiac region.
Les Carcajous Gourmands is a joint initiative between École secondaire Sieur-de-Coulonge and École des Petits-Ponts. It involves 23 students from grades 10 and 11, who, over two 60-minute periods during each 10-day cycle, prepare healthy meals and snacks for students in need.
Their goal is simple yet essential: to provide nutritious, affordable, and accessible meals to local youth while raising awareness in the community about the realities of food insecurity. Thanks to their commitment, more than 300 meals have already been distributed across three elementary schools in the Pontiac region. Students participate in every step—from preparation to distribution—gaining skills in cooking, nutrition, and community solidarity.
The meals prepared include traditional dishes such as shepherd’s pie, meatloaf, spaghetti, and macaroni, as well as homemade snacks like muffins and energy balls. This innovative project helps build a strong support network between schools while fostering responsible and engaged young citizens. It follows a participatory and sustainable approach, prioritizing local ingredients and minimizing food waste.
