From LINC Classroom to Community Impact: The Food Link Society Story

April 24, 2026

Every week, the Food Link Society distribute large amounts of food to families from the LINC community and beyond. It is physically demanding work, but incredibly meaningful and helpful for newcomers trying to make ends meet. Started by a group of Stage II LINC students, Food Link Society’s journey began in 2015, inside a LINC classroom at Coquitlam Continuing Education.

Story provided by Jo-Ann Dykstra at Coquitlam Continuing Education

How it all began
In 2015, a LINC 7 class at Coquitlam Continuing Education’s Vanier Centre watched the documentary Just Eat It, which deeply impacted a group of students, including Igor Bjelac (Serbia), Basem Tawadrws (Egypt), Reihaneh Mirjani (Iran), Ali Haeri (Iran), and Young Bong (South Korea). Some have experienced war or economic hardships where food shortages were common, and they were struck by the level of food waste in North America. Motivated to take action, they launched their first small initiative, “Win-Win,” a food recovery program sharing rescued food with fellow students in our LINC program and low-income families and schools.

Since then, through their tireless efforts, they have built the Food Link Society. It is now a thriving charity focused on feeding people, reducing food waste, and protecting the environment, and has been recognized by United Way BC as the largest food recovery charity in the Lower Mainland.

With stronger English skills combined with leadership experience from their home countries being brought forward into their settlement journey, Stage II learners have been key contributors in our LINC classrooms and communities. In turn, the LINC classroom has provided opportunities to engage with a diverse group of leaders and professionals from around the world, while offering a nurturing environment to further develop leadership skills in their new country. Their energy and passion have driven projects that begin in the classroom and extend into the real world.

To learn more about Food Link Society, including opportunities to contribute or volunteer, please visit foodlinksociety.ca .