Golf Pro Support & YOU!

We are extraordinarily grateful to be selected by Abbotsford’s Golf Pro Nick Taylor and his wife Andie as their charity of choice.  RIGHT NOW, we are in a social media challenge to support Nick Taylor and Team RBC as they work together to support the charities they love. Together they could raise up to $300,000 between 15 charities. The best part of the challenge is that we have the power to impact the outcome of this challenge for STARFISH PACK by participating on social media! The challenge ends July 20.

 

“I see the importance of an organization like the Starfish Pack Program because it recognizes the need for change within our own community and helps meet a basic need for the children they help” – Andie Taylor

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‘Community Matters Award’ for Starfish!

In photo: (left to right: Cindy Schafer (Board of Education Chair), Dave Murray (Abbotsford Food Bank Manager), Hugh Ellis (President of Abbotsford Rotary Club), Kevin Godden (Superintendent of School District 34)

The Abbotsford Rotary Club and Abbotsford Food Bank were honoured with the inaugural Community Matters Award on June 16 by the Abbotsford Board of Education at a public meeting.

The Board established the annual ‘Community Matters Award’ earlier this year to recognize community partners who have made a significant contribution to the lives of students in the Abbotsford School District. The award is intended to acknowledge an organization that has exceeded its service mandate to children.

“Community involvement in the Abbotsford School District has been a long and valued tradition,” says Board of Education Chair Cindy Schafer. “Numerous organizations, such as this year’s recipients, contribute resources and countless hours of volunteer service to enable our students to achieve success in school. This is a way for the Board of Education to more formally express its appreciation and acknowledge the support of those involved in such service to our students. This year we are delighted to honour the Abbotsford Rotary Club, Abbotsford Food Bank and Kiwanis Clubs of Abbotsford and Clearbrook.”

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Second International Recognition

Photo credit: Bob Knight
Rotary District 5050 Governor Lyle Ryan presents the Outstanding Community Service Award to Abbotsford Rotary Club President Hugh Ellis and club members

The Starfish Pack Program, a joint project between the Abbotsford Food Bank and the Abbotsford Rotary Club, received its second international recognition over the past weekend.

During the annual Rotary 5050 District Conference, held in Tulalip, WA, the Starfish Pack program was presented with McLean Community Service Award, recognizing it as the most outstanding community service project in the Rotary 5050 District.  Rotary District 5050 covers 58 Rotary clubs located in both British Columbia and Washington State, in communities from Hope BC to Everett, WA.

Starfish Packs provides weekly backpacks containing six meals each weekend to over 260 elementary school students in 22 Abbotsford schools during the school year.  The Program also recently launched its first “Starfish Depot” which will provide food and other resources to school children and their families year round.  In its first two years of operation, the program has brought together over 40 local businesses, service clubs, faith groups and hundreds of individuals to fund and deliver the program.

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Testimony of a Principal

LETTER FROM A PRINCIPAL

Thursday, April 2, 2015

As students and families at our school have been part of the Starfish backpack program for at least the past 2 years, I just wanted to take a moment to share with you some successes we have noticed.

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Why Do Starfish Packs Exist?

The Starfish Pack Backpack Program was created in response to teachers hearing the cry of their students.  Teachers were heartbroken to hear their students were coming to class Monday morning hungry, reporting that they had not eaten over the weekend.  Sadly, 400 elementary school children have been identified by the Abbotsford School District as being in need of food over the weekend. Now over 300 backpacks are packed with food and are going home with the students over the weekend from 35 different schools.

 

400 elementary school children are going without food over the weekend”

 

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How it Works

$575 fills one starfish pack ALL YEAR.
100% of the donation goes towards purchasing food.

 

The starfish Program would not be possible without the helping hands of our community! Each Thursday volunteers pack two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners and healthy snacks into each backpack with food for the weekend. The backpacks full of food are delivered every Friday to each participating school for the remainder of the school year.

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