BackPack Food Program - Want to be on the weekly list? To you need a little help with some extra food?

BACKPACK FOOD PROGRAM

Our Backpack Food Program is available to help school families who could benefit from food support on weekends. We have been helping our school families in the valley for 10 years. We now offer support families in all our valley elementary schools: Maquinna, Dunn, Tsuma-as, Wood and Alberni Elementary and a few in Howitt, as well as, some students in the Eighth Avenue Learning Center and Hummingbird Daycare. We are continuing to grow within each of the schools. Our goal is to provide our families with a backpack of food each weekend that will contain the makings of a good healthy meal with extras. 

It is well known that a child can focus more on their learning and achieve their best in their studies if they eat properly. School breakfast and lunch programs support children’s learning with meals during the week. Our program is meant to compliment these programs by providing our students and their families with food on weekends.

We are very fortunate to receive wonderful community participation. As a result, we are often able to help with extras, such as, fresh fruits and vegetables and more. Our aim is to provide our families with the best support possible. 

Each week 25 volunteers shop for groceries, put them in bins, add recipes and deliver to most of our schools on Thursdays. Parents bring a bag to pick up food either at their children’s schools or at the United Church on Church Street. Some children bring the groceries home by bus. If transportation is a real concern food can be delivered.

If you are interested in your family becoming a part of our Backpack Program, please see the attached form and return to the office at Alberni Elementary or pick up the form from the office. 

                     Thank you. Remember we are there to help!