(2.5-Minute Read)
By Lucas Driediger
From extending Starfish through the summer, to increasing the amount of children we support, there is a lot going on in the world of Starfish! Whether you are eager to fight poverty, or just want a feel good story, this blog is for you.
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Another Christmas is wrapped up and we wanted to say thank you to all who helped make this year another success! Whether you gave in time, money, service or all the above, it made a difference and we are so thankful. We know that many of you do not give out of excess, but rather make sacrifices in order to make giving to the Christmas Bureau possible and we admire that so much. Watching the community surround us once again is an amazing experience. We are so grateful to be able to witness our community show such love to the families who come to us for help.
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Updated: December 22, 2017
Every once in a while, we need to take a step back and remind ourselves of the good that is happening right under our noses. While the names have been changed to protect our guests, the stories are real. Real families, and real experiences. Their lives may be difficult, but they are made a lot better by our amazing community.
Here are a few of our favourite stories:
Each Christmas, Brenda and her daughter, Chrystie, organize gifts and food for more than a dozen families in Abbotsford. They do it to remember their kids, Coleton and Ryker, both of whom passed away on February 18th—Coleton in 2011, and Ryker in 2016.
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The magical feeling of Christmas was hard to deny at this year’s Toys for Tots Christmas Breakfast presented by Quality Hotel.
The sense of a supportive community was tangible. Today, we are overwhelmed with gratitude toward our community and the heartfelt involvement and generosity towards children in need. Special thanks to the donor who came forward to match every donation at the event!
Toys For Tots Christmas Breakfast is a fun family event that kicks off the Christmas season with the true spirit of the season – giving to children in need. On November 24th from 6 am – 9:30 am the community is invited to bring a new toy for any age or a monetary donation to the event. Stay for a delicious hot breakfast, craft, photo booth, a visit with Santa, live Christmas carols and local entertainment.
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Here’s the inside scoop on our latest summer students experiences. Every summer we welcome local university students to experience life at the Abbotsford Food Bank through a government subsidy program. This year we had the pleasure of welcoming two summer students into our office. We had a great time getting to know them and were blessed by the energy they brought to the team and are excited to introduce you to them. Read more to find out how their expectations were met! Meet Lucas and Corinna.
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(3-minute read)
By Rebecca Thuro
To start the satellite series off right, we are happy to introduce you to Chris. He oversees the Food Bank Satellite at Positive Living. Their programming serves over 200 people with HIV, Viral Hepatitis, TB and Sexually Transmitted Blood Borne Infections. They also have programs for the street entrenched population. Chris has the unique experience of being both a graduate of positive living and knowing the struggles faced by those juggling their sickness and living on a government disability cheque very personally.
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(4 Minute Read)
By Rebecca Thuro
The question often gets asked: how does someone end up at the Archway Food Bank? Well, it’s not necessarily a straight forward answer. One thing we know for sure, is that everyone deserves access to food, and the ability to feed their family. Our work begins with trying to reduce the barriers that might get in the way.
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She’s a UFV student in a Global Development Studies class. She came to us looking for experience in working with a non-profit. We were happy to meet her expectations with a whammy of real life experience.
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Now that we are officially on the other side of the Holiday whirlwind, we find ourselves reflecting on and savoring each and every story that was graciously shared with us. The theme through the stories, it seems, is one of overwhelming gratitude and hope from both the giver and receiver. As an organization, we are so thankful to get this type of feedback. We are honoured to be able to see and hear how our neighbours came together to take care of those who are struggling—especially through the Christmas season.
Leading into the Christmas season, we found ourselves wondering – how is Christmas going to come together? Will there be enough? Did you have those same questions? So much needs to come together in time. Imagine having a shopping list to feed 524 families and 166 seniors!
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Did you know that if you live in Abbotsford, you are living in a place that is considered one of the most generous communities in Canada? We can certainly testify to the fact that our community rallies around those in need and has the heart to see lives changed.
We would like to introduce you to some of the friendly faces of Abbotsford. They are your neighbours who know the joy of giving in Abbotsford.
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Christmas preparations are now in high gear here at the Abbotsford Food Bank and Christmas Bureau, and have been for many months. If Santa’s Workshop were a real place, we’d imagine it to look a lot like this. Gifts are flooding our doors, shelves are being stocked, and there’s a level of nervous excitement that doesn’t come around any other time of the year.
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Heading back to school can be a total mix of emotions.Do you remember heading back to school as a kid? Do you remember the total mix of emotions that came with it? I certainly do. I remember the anticipation of attending a new class, the excitement of seeing school friends again, and the pride in showing off my first day of school outfit. I even remember the forgotten smell of the early morning air during the crisp walk to school. And while my family didn’t necessarily have the best of everything, I always knew that I was taken care of and that my lunch box was full.
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We like to brag about the staff at the Abbotsford Food Bank .Yes, we are working on our humility, but it’s true—we have some pretty amazing people working here. Not only are they skilled, but they have a huge heart for what we do.
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Sadly, many people that pass through our doors find themselves unable to rise above their circumstances largely due to the fact that they don’t have the relationships and connections to help bring them there.
Recently we started a pilot project called ‘Everest’ which aim’s at this exact disparity.
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‘My Orchard’ has partnered with the Abbotsford Food Bank to provide fresh Okanagan fruit at a reasonable cost. The goal – MAKE FRUIT ACCESSIBLE TO ALL
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The 3rd Annual Ramada’s Toys for Tots Christmas Breakfast is receiving rave reviews and we couldn’t be more thankful!
A record 1,300 people attended, more than $26,000 raised and receiving over 1,300 toys.
The morning included spirited Christmas Music, a visit from Santa, a top notch breakfast buffet, story time with Clifford the Elf, a festive craft corner and a photo booth to capture the magic of celebrating together. One mother said – “This year’s Toys for tots was the best one yet! Staff were so helpful in getting us a table and the kids loved the story time and crafts.” – Heidi
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