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Adopt-A-School: Hard to feed 50 students for $40 a week

“We estimate that nearly 200[children]are in need of some form of support from the school, such as food and school supplies.” — Child and Youth Care Workers at Springwood Elementary School Danica McAllister

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Parksville — There is no better community than this small municipality on the east coast of Vancouver Island. It has a mild climate, sandy beaches and natural beauty that attracts tourists.

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It seems idyllic, and it is. But like every other community in BC Parksville, it is not immune to the hardships inflicted on families impoverished by the devastating cost of living crisis.

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And, like much larger cities, the impact is seen every morning when children arrive at school hungry and without food to get through the day.

Springwood Elementary School has 500 students, and child and youth care worker Danica McAllister estimates there are a significant number of students whose families are struggling with rising food and housing costs.

“We estimate that nearly 200[children]need some form of support from school, such as food and school supplies. and our school can’t keep up with the demand for breakfast, lunch and snacks,” she said.

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New to school this year, McAllister was asked to set up a breakfast program to feed the most needy. About 50 children were identified and invited to participate.

She was given a $40 a week budget and started trying to feed them every day (only 20 people show up most days) and frankly this is impossible.

Her plan is to try to find subsidies or other food sources to supplement her recent $40 purchase, as the first two weeks of trying to run the program proved “unbearable.” was.

Joined by charities that help the homeless and needy in the area, she received cereal and other food, but by the end of October they had run out.

“I hadn’t received anything recently, so I contacted them, but I couldn’t provide anything because donations were also tight.”

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She wants the program to be open to all children who need breakfast, so she applied for $6,000 to buy food and a refrigerator for the Vancouver Sun’s Adopt-A-School program.

“It’s invite-only now,” she said.

“But we’re not going to deny kids coming in. That’s half my battle. I won’t say no.”

“I hate to say no, but last week my kids asked for seconds and I don’t have the funds to give them seconds and get them through the week.”

Schools have other food sources. There is a food class where they make meals, and the school secretary provides microwave lunches for those who haven’t eaten anything.

And we also have snacks.

But she wants to feed hungry children a proper breakfast of pancakes, bacon and eggs.

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She estimates that about 50 children come to school without breakfast and cannot eat throughout the day.

“They won’t have anything in their bags. It’s really disappointing to see. It’s upsetting to think that these families have to go through life like this.” .”

Since 2011, the Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund has distributed over $10 million to hundreds of BC schools to feed and clothe children. This year, the school is seeking more than $2 million in grants to help needy children.

gbellett@gmail.com

vansunkidsfund.ca


How to donate

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1. Online: Donate online using a credit card at vansunkidsfund.ca.

2. Phone: To donate by credit card, call 604-605-2264.

3. Email: Please complete this donation form and mail either completed credit card details or a check/money order to the Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund Society to the address provided on the form.

Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund Society

The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund welcomes donations from readers all year round to help hungry children. Donations are tax deductible and 100% of donations received go to grant projects to help underprivileged children in BC.

contact: Michelle Roebuck, Fund Manager, adaptaschool@vansunkidsfund.caor call 604-605-2264.


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Adopt-A-School: Hard to feed 50 students for $40 a week

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