In 2017, Diya Courty-Stephens started a volunteer organization called Neighbourhood Bites. Already a volunteer for various organizations, Diya was researching the global food waste problem as part of her St. Michael’s University School research class. Diya discovered that a lot of good food that is close to the Best before date is thrown away by stores.
Neighbourhood Bites organizes weekly/bi-weekly pick-ups of food that the stores would otherwise discard. She is joined by schoolmates Portia Balfour, Meredith Selwood and Jordan Stonehouse to help manage the organization. Although in its infancy, over $8,500 worth of food has already gone to those in need and they don’t plan to stop now. As a result of her hard work, Diya won the Award for Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Vancouver Island Chapter.