27,737 packs. 750 students. 40 schools. 1 incredible year.
And at the heart of it all? 140 amazing volunteers.
This Volunteer Appreciation Week, we want to recognize the incredible people who make the Abbotsford Starfish Pack Program possible.
An Abbotsford Facebook group raised $10,000 for the Starfish Pack program through their Doing Good in the Hood Fundraiser event in mid-September 2024. Read the full article below:
The second annual Smiles Through Seva Foundation Gala on September 28th, 2024 raised $70,000 for the Archway Food Bank’s Starfish Pack program.
The program provides packs of food for more than 700 students every school weekend.
“We’re amazed by the generosity shown by the event organizers, sponsors and attendees,” said Rebecca Thuro, Archway food security manager. “These funds will ensure 100 children and teenagers will receive food over the weekend all school year.” Read the full article below:
The Abbotsford Grand Squares raised almost $2,200 for the Starfish Pack Program during a benefit dance on March 8th, 2025.
The Community Matters Award has been presented once per year since 2015 as a way to formally recognize community partners who have exceeded their community service mandate. Organizations and individuals who have made a significant contribution to Abbotsford school district students can be nominated.
The committee said that they chose Starfish Pack as the award recipient because they support such a large number of students and schools across the district. Read the full article below:
An increased need for Starfish Packs for students in Abbotsford schools means that the Archway Community Services program can no longer meet the demand in its existing space.
Currently, 730 students in 41 elementary, middle, and high schools receive a weekly pack full of food to eat over the weekend when they don’t have access to school meals. Now halfway through the school year 12,494 packs have already been delivered and the Starfish Pack Program expects to distribute more than 25,700 packs by the end of the school year.
The Abbotsford chapter of the Fraternal Order of Eagles recently donated just over $1,200 to the Starfish Pack program.
The money was raised from an Oktoberfest bash and from a Nearly Neil concert featuring entertainer Bobby Bruce with his tribute to Neil Diamond. Both events were held at the local Eagles Hall.
This past year, thanks to the support of our generous community, and an incredible team of volunteers, the Archway Starfish Pack Program surpassed 10 years of operation in Abbotsford.
In the past decade, volunteers have packed and delivered over 70,000 packs to local students at their schools to take home over the weekend. These 70,000 packs don’t even include all the packs provided over the summer months while school is out.
The annual Train the Trainer event proved to be another successful outing for the Abbotsford Innovative Fitness location.
IF Abbotsford raised a total of $26,150 for the Starfish Pack and Health in Motion during the event on Friday (Nov. 25).
An Eagles tribute concert in Abbotsford on Oct. 20 raised just over $1,000 toward the Starfish Pack program.
The concert, Hotel California: The Original Eagles Tribute, was hosted at the Abbotsford Arts Centre by the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
The club turned over their donation on Nov. 2 from money raised during a 50/50.