Did you know a 24 pack of pop in Iqaluit is $34??! We could not believe it! Students discovered that for 5 fairly basic birthday party items - 1 bag of chips, 1 pack of pop, a 4 pack of muffins, 10 candy bars, and 1 pack of strawberries - families in Iqaluit would need to pay over $80!!!
The price above does not even include the "extras" of a party like balloons, candles, party hats, or decorations. These things are not easy to come by and are also extremely expensive in Arctic communities. Many families simply cannot afford to have a fun party for their children each year.
Teachers have learned of a group, The Northern Birthday Box Project, that match sponsors throughout Canada with children in the Arctic who have a birthday coming up. We have decided to sponsor two children from Iqaluit and send them a birthday party in a box! Much of what we will send are items that can easily be purchased for $1-$2. Students in our classes were very excited to hear that we can do something to help children in Iqaluit who may not otherwise have a birthday party this year!
This week we will brainstorm items that we would like to collect and send to our two sponsor children. Stay tuned for more information about this exciting project!
