Archway Community Services, a non-profit based in Abbotsford, B.C., is inviting the community to help feed local children as their school term breaks for summer.
When the school term ends on June 25, nearly 500 children in Abbotsford will lose access to breakfast and lunch programs at school. Archway Community Services’ Summer Starfish Program helps make sure these children have healthy food throughout the summer by providing weekly packs filled with nutritious, kid-friendly items such as cereal, tuna, beans, soup, bread, peanut butter, jam, snacks, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
The non-profit is seeking donations in multiples of $25, which provides food for one child for one week, while $50 covers two weeks, and $200 feeds a child for the entire summer. Community donations will cover the cost of food packs and help families worry less about putting food on the table and focus more on enjoying time together. The program ensures every donation helps ensure no child goes hungry when the school bell stops ringing.
Rebecca Thuro, manager of Food Security at Archway, shared that school meal programs are a lifeline for many families, and when those programs pause for the summer, it can leave a significant gap. Beginning July 8, the Summer Starfish Program will ensure that children don’t go hungry without school meals, as each pack is handed out to students biweekly until the fall semester. Five hundred children are expected to register this summer, with the packs supporting an average of more than 750 children weekly throughout the school year.
You can find more information about the initiative by visiting the program webpage.
