Summer Starfish Program Seeking Donations to Ensure No Child Goes Hungry Over the Summer

While many children eagerly anticipate summer break, for hundreds of students in Abbotsford, the end of the school year means losing access to reliable school meals that their families count on from September to June.

To help fill this critical gap, the Summer Starfish Pack program was created in 2018 to ensure children and their families have access to healthy foods once their school meal programs close over the summer.

“Without access to breakfast or lunch programs, there is the possibility of children missing meals, which is why it’s so important that the Starfish Pack program is available in the summer. This year we are preparing for 450 students to enroll,” said Rebecca Thuro, Manager of Food Security.

“We’ve just reached 50% of our fundraising goal, but we are lagging behind last year’s pace. Your gift will help ensure all children enrolled are fed over the summer,” said Thuro.

 

Families are invited to sign up for the Summer Starfish program on a bi-weekly basis where they visit a pre-arranged pick-up location to receive their Starfish packs.

Distribution for Summer Starfish starts July 2nd at centrally located and accessible locations.

These summer packs are larger than the regular school-year versions; in fact, families get the opportunity to choose the items that best meet their needs. Items available include milk, eggs, cereal, tuna, beans, grains, soups, bread, peanut butter, jam, snacks, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

“Without the Summer Starfish program, I don’t know how I would have managed to stretch our grocery budget,” said a Summer Starfish parent.

“With the extra help this program provided, I was able to still do summer activities with the children and hopefully created some positive core memories; without feeling any food anxiety.”

According to Food Banks Canada, one third of food bank users in Canada are children.

“During the summer months, children who benefit from free school breakfasts and lunches lose access to an important source of healthy meals,” states the Food Banks Canada website.

The Summer Starfish program is a vital resource that helps keep children fed and families supported during the summer months. A donation of $168.42 can provide one student with a Starfish pack for the entire summer; a gift of $84.20 covers one month, and $42.10 supports a child for two weeks.

With the ongoing possibility of a Canada Post strike affecting mail deliveries, we encourage donations be made online at AbbotsfordFoodBank.com/starfish to ensure no child misses out on healthy, nutritious meals this summer.