KKETS Distributes 48,000lbs of Food in Thunder Bay and Remote Communities
MEDIA RELEASE
February 9, 2026 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment & Training Services Distributes 48,000lbs of Food in Thunder Bay and Remote Communities
Thunder Bay, ON — Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment & Training Services (KKETS) Mawachintoon Anishnabe Miijim (MAM) program is distributing roughly 48,000lbs of potatoes, carrots, and onions in Thunder Bay and remote First Nation communities, thanks to a large, anonymous, out-of-province donation, supported by funding from Nutrition North Canada.
KKETS staff and volunteers at the MAM Warehouse in Thunder Bay have been re-packaging the bulk produce into smaller hampers for distribution to Matawa members in the city, as well as delivering truckloads of produce to local charitable organizations including the Dew Drop Inn, Salvation Army, Grace Place, Shelter House, and the Regional Food Distribution Centre. Deliveries are also planned for food banks, Matawa First Nations and their schools, improving access to healthy foods while reducing rising grocery costs in both remote and road-accessible communities. This effort will help ensure that families have access to fresh and nutritious staples throughout the winter.
Nutrition North Canada’s funding supports KKETS’s MAM program in its work to increase regional food sovereignty and strengthen food security while restoring local knowledge and supporting traditional harvesting practices. The MAM program also supports Matawa harvesters with deliveries of ammunition, hunting decoys, prospectors’ tents and fishing nets to support local food systems.
QUOTES
“In 2025, we served 81,475 hot meals to our community, and with inflation it’s becoming more challenging to afford fresh produce. KKETS’s incredible donation of redistributed potatoes, carrots, and onions will go a long way in feeding those experiencing food insecurity in Thunder Bay. We couldn’t do what we do sustainably without the support of generous organizations and businesses.”
—Champagne Thomson, Development Manager, Shelter House
“When First Nations communities are food secure, the benefits extend far beyond our Nations. Strong Indigenous food systems contribute to healthier families, a more stable workforce, and greater resilience across the entire region. Through the Mawachintoon Anishnabe Miijim program, KKETS is demonstrating that Indigenous-led solutions strengthen not only First Nations, but the broader Thunder Bay community as well. When First Nations thrive, the region as a whole becomes stronger, more self-reliant, and better prepared for the future.”
—David Neegan, Executive Director, KKETS
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For more information, please contact David Neegan, Executive Director, KKETS, at dneegan@matawa.on.ca or 807-768-4470, or Champagne Thomson, Development Manager, Thunder Bay Shelter House at champagne.thomson@shelterhouse.on.ca or 705-327-8806.
Established in 2012, Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment and Training Services (KKETS) is an Indigenous Skills Employment Training (ISET) holder for the Matawa First Nations. KKETS assists Matawa members in attaining trades skills and other training, including independent programming, employment integration, employment readiness and life skills training, basic employment certifications, and academic upgrading. Like them on Facebook at Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment and Training Services – KKETS.
Matawa First Nations Management is a Tribal Council providing programming and advisory services to nine First Nations in northwestern Ontario. For more information visit matawa.on.ca.