Editors Note: There are two photos associated with this press release.

Thanks to The North West Company's new Healthy Horizons Foundation, mini-chefs age 8 to 12 in Rankin Inlet, NU are learning healthy eating habits and building and strengthening their literacy and numeracy skills.

Healthy Horizons is pleased to announce the $8,200 grant was awarded to Ilitaqsiniq (Nunavut Literacy Council), helping it launch a six-week Kids Cooking Class program. The program is an extension of the Niqitsialiurniq project, which helped youth develop literacy and culinary skills for employment in the food service industry.

Over the course of the program, Red Seal Chef Kelly Lindell, with the help of past participants of Niqitsialiurniq, is teaching 15 students from Simon Alaittuq School in Rankin Inlet, NU, how to cook and bake wholesome, healthy meals from scratch. The students will also be taught traditional Inuit food preparation practices, to help carry on their culture through cuisine. All the food prepared during the classes is distributed among the students and their families.

"We are delighted to select Ilitaqsiniq as the inaugural Healthy Horizons grant recipient because the program fosters positive attitudes among youth towards healthy choices," said Edward Kennedy, President and CEO, The North West Company.

"The purpose of Healthy Horizons is to help the well-being of youth within the communities served by our North West stores, including Northern, NorthMart and Giant Tiger locations. It is part of our commitment to being a supportive community store in every possible way," Kennedy added.

"It's important for the children to learn the basics of food preparation, because often they are responsible for feeding themselves and younger siblings. The program's holistic approach is a great way to build the confidence of the youth and encourage healthy habits from an early age. We would like to thank Healthy Horizons for their generous contribution as their support made it possible to launch this program," said Adriana Kusugak, Literacy Coordinator, Ilitaqsiniq.

As a final program project, the students will work together to organize and host a school celebration and use their new skills to prepare snacks.

For more information on Healthy Horizons' contributions and to watch a video of Healthy Horizons presenting the grant to Ilitaqsiniq, visit The North West Company's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dkEdV5S6No.

About Healthy Horizons Foundation

Founded by The North West Company, Healthy Horizons Foundation's mission is to provide youth with the knowledge and tools to foster lifelong connections to physical activity and healthy living. www.healthyhorizonsfoundation.ca.

Healthy Horizons Foundation is accepting grant applications with a submission deadline of January 31, 2017. To be eligible for funding, a community or organization must either be a registered charity in Canada, or otherwise registered as a "qualified donee" as defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada).

About The North West Company (TSX:NWC)

North West is a retailer serving rural communities and urban neighbourhoods in Canada, Alaska, the South Pacific and Caribbean. We are committed to helping our customers live better by bringing them the best products and services together with a tradition of community support. North West's Northern and NorthMart stores are the largest local private employer of Indigenous people in Canada, with close to 3,000 employees and an annual payroll exceeding $65 million. www.northwest.ca

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