Two of the 89 "Stepping Up for My New Brunswick" honorees come from the small Tantramar town of Port Elgin.

Mount Allison alumnus and Port Elgin-raised, Becker received provincial recognition for his food delivery efforts during the pandemic’s early days.

Becker applied for a Rising Youth grant after being laid off from his hospitality job in Halifax, and found the process surprisingly straightforward. 

With the grant, Becker arranged for food boxes to be delivered to families in need. 

He says he still has no idea who may have nominated him, and is honoured to be recognized. 

Becker encourages all those with a community improvement idea to apply for available grants.

Current Mount Allison student Hannah Crouse is another Tantramar-hailing recipient of the Stepping Up for My New Brunswick recognition. 

Crouse’s “Community Connect” project launched last July, which aimed to connect isolated seniors and youth with food. 

The project led to Crouse’s nomination for provincial recognition, which she says was “fantastic.”

The Community Connect project has grown exponentially since its early days, and is now integrated with Mount Allison to allow students to participate for credit. 

Her Community Connect project, founded in July of last year, continues to expand.

Crouse hopes that a new executive will rise to take over once she and her peers graduate from Mount Allison.