Food For a Smile began with what creator Devin Dubois admits was not his best idea.
After leaving addiction treatment just over two years ago, Dubois bought a large bag of marijuana with plans to sit around and smoke it.
He soon realized that was a bad idea.
“I decided I’m going to grab a big bag of weed, and I’m gonna sit around and smoke weed all day,” he said. “That wasn’t working too well. I realized that I was gonna go right down the same path.”
Submitted photo/Food For a Smile
Devin Dubois, centre, and volunteers gather behind food and supplies at a previous Food For a Smile barbecue.
Instead, Dubois divided the marijuana into smaller bags and began hiding them around Prince Albert “like Easter eggs.”
He posted clues on a local Facebook page, and the idea quickly attracted attention. Some people warned him that a child could find one of the bags.
Dubois realized they were right.
He stopped hiding marijuana and began leaving gift cards and gift bags around the city instead.
“Everybody was happy, so I stuck with the gift cards and the gift bags,” he said.
What began as a questionable social media stunt has since grown into giveaways, Christmas deliveries, free meals and spontaneous acts of kindness across Prince Albert.
Dubois said he has helped so many people that he could not put a number on it.
“Everywhere I go, I bump into somebody,” he said.
Dubois has given away grocery cards, birthday cakes, electronics and other prizes. He also once purchased parts for three skateboards worth about $400 each, assembled them through Propaganda Shop and handed them to young people at the skate park.
Submitted photo/Food For a Smile
A Food For a Smile gift card hidden in a tree as part of one of Devin Dubois’s community giveaways.
Other acts are much smaller and often happen without warning.
Dubois said he might see a young person sitting at a bus stop and hand them a Tim Hortons gift card. A parent will sometimes contact him later to thank him.
“It just happens in the most random ways,” Dubois said.
The next Food For a Smile project will be a free community barbecue on July 17 from noon to 4 p.m. at PAGC Urban Services in downtown Prince Albert.
Dubois is preparing enough hamburgers and hot dogs to serve at least 1,000 people. He is also hoping local businesses and community members will contribute drinks, chips, treats or other food.
He said each of his previous barbecues served more than 1,000 meals.
Submitted photo/Food For a Smile
An Easter basket hidden in Prince Albert as part of a Food For a Smile giveaway.
“Usually when these barbecues do pop off, people just show up with a bunch of goodies,” he said.
The event is being held with Valley Hill Youth Treatment Centre and will also support Uplift Thrift, a new second-hand store that Dubois said plans to help people with clothing, meals, furniture, bedding and other household needs.
People who bring a clean and useful donation for Uplift Thrift can enter a draw for Prince Albert Exhibition ride wristbands.
Dubois asked people to bring items that could realistically be placed on the store’s shelves rather than bags of unwanted clothing.
At least five wristbands had been secured at the time of the interview, although Dubois hopes to have more available before the event.
The Prince Albert Grand Council is providing the space. Dubois said PAGC has supported Food For a Smile events since his first community barbecue.
“It’s becoming just like second nature now,” he said. “I just kind of buy the food, and it all just happens. It all just falls together.”
Dubois also works at Valley Hill Youth Treatment Centre. He said the job grew from his earlier attempts to help people experiencing homelessness reconnect with their relatives, communities or treatment programs.
Those efforts showed him how difficult it can be to help someone once they are already living on the street.
He said working with youth gives him a chance to reach people earlier and show them where addiction and other challenges can lead.
Submitted photo/Food For a Smile
Food For a Smile creator Devin Dubois, left, joins Santa Claus while delivering Christmas gifts in Prince
Food For a Smile remains a one-person operation. Dubois said its Facebook page is monetized, which allows the initiative to generate some of the money needed for future giveaways.
Businesses also provide gift cards that Dubois promotes and distributes through his page.
He said the arrangement allows businesses to reach people while giving him more material to turn into community support.
“It means I can help out without grants, without the help from any organization besides myself,” Dubois said. “I don’t have to wait. I don’t have to ask for permission from anybody.”
He said Food For a Smile is not tied to an office or building.
“It could just happen anywhere,” he said. “It’s not a building or a place. It’s just the way I think, I guess. People give me stuff and I give it away.”
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
