We have many low-income vulnerable families that attend our school. Nanaimo has a low-income rate of 17% and the majority of these families reside in the south end of Nanaimo, which is where we are located. We have an alarming number of families who are needing this support, now more than ever. We have just begun this breakfast and lunch program and already we are supporting many of our vulnerable families. What we hope is to alleviate some of the financial burden that is on these families by having food available to their children here at the school. The students come into the multipurpose room and receive a warm breakfast while interacting with staff and other students. They leave and head back to their class with a bagged lunch. The funding would go directly to purchasing food. We would be buying bread, fruit, vegetables, peanut butter, jam, cereal, eggs, oatmeal, healthy lunch snacks, and bagels. We hope to be able to provide this support until June 2021 and reapply in September 2021. The hope for this program is that no child goes hungry while at school, and that students have access to a healthy breakfast and lunch.
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This project is one of many received by The Vancouver Sun Children's Fund for our 2020/21 Adopt-a-School campaign.
Since the day our first Adopt-a-School news story was published in the fall of 2011, generous Vancouver Sun readers have helped us raise more than $6 million to improve the lives of B.C.’s neediest school children.
The money you donate helps teachers and school staff who are dealing with children suffering from the effects of poverty and enables them to provide breakfast or lunch, food at weekends, other necessities (like warm clothing) and educational experiences. We are grateful for your support, and for the opportunity to make a difference.
(100 per cent of donated funds are used for grants. Admin & expenses are either supported by the Vancouver Sun newspaper or paid out of interest on investments.)
