PROJECTS

We started in 2016 with baked potatoes and a roll of tinfoil.

Today, we focus on long-term impact by looking at the bigger picture. This means equipping young Canadians with the resources to critically engage with socioeconomic inequality and drive systemic change.

To do so, our Education Portfolio develops curriculum centered around socioeconomic inequality. This curriculum is then delivered through chapters and classrooms in our Engagement Portfolio.

True to our youth-driven ethos, this closed-loop educational ecosystem is created by youth (university students), for youth (high school students).

EDUCATION

We educate youth on socioeconomic inequality and encourage them to critically engage with issues through a social justice lens. Learn More

HOT POTATO TALKS — Interview series featuring different stakeholders of homelessness, including frontline workers, academics, and individuals with lived experiences.
HOT POTATO BRIEFS — One-pagers on topics surrounding homelessness, including structural inequality, housing crises, and drug legislation, to break down complex issues for a youth audience.
LESSON PLANS — Standalone instructional resources to support educators in engaging youth in the conversation about homelessness. They are made available to classrooms and chapters.

ENGAGEMENT

We engage youth in our mission through our network and lay the groundwork for them to stand up, stand out, and stand for something.

SCHOOL NETWORK PROGRAM — Network of chapters in high schools that engage youth directly within their school communities through education and action. Members organize Hot Potato Runs, outreach events to prepare meals for individuals experiencing homelessness and opportunities to engage in dialogue.
AMBASSADOR PROGRAM— Network of students that promote our mission through social media and word-of-mouth, and further the reach of the organization. Ambassadors promote our Hot Potato Campaign on social media, biographical stories of lived experiences to engage Canadians and humanize the issue by amplifying the voices of individuals experiencing homelessness.

Land Acknowledgement

The Hot Potato Initiative acknowledges the unceded Traditional Coast Salish Lands including the Squamish, Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, Katzie, and Kwikwetlem Nations.

Legal

The Hot Potato Initiative is incorporated under the Societies Act of British Columbia. Request information from BC Registries and Online Services with our non-profit number S0066891.

Contact

Direct inquiries here or by email at contact@hotpotatoinitiative.ca.
Direct inquiries to the Board of Directors at board@hotpotatoinitiative.ca.