Rotary Members Packing Starfish Backpacks
Starfish Packs, which provides two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners and snacks for local vulnerable children to take home every weekend, is 100% community funded and staffed. With no paid staff and no government funding, the program relies entirely on local community support for both funding and volunteers.
What started in a single school in Abbotsford in the spring of 2013 has grown to over 20 BC communities. Starfish Packs will be delivered this school year in Abbotsford, Surrey, Chilliwack, Delta, Aldergrove, Langley, Mission, Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Vernon, Williams Lake, and more. All local donations remain in the communities where they are made.
In Surrey, we are aware of the existence of breakfast and lunch program in many schools. Research indicates that 13,000 Surrey residents – 41% of whom are children – turn to food banks to meet the basic human need for food security. The social costs of food insecurity are high, with lost economic productivity, poorer educational outcomes, and erosion of dignity for these Surrey residents. Surrey has “ 11 of the 20 poorest neighborhoods in BC. 40.5% of residents in Guildford and 42.7% of residents in Newton report annual household incomes under $40,000. Lone parent households are particularly challenged with regard to accessing affordable food, and one in four experiences disrupted food intake and eating patterns.
At a cost of $575 per child for the whole school year, the program only spends $15-$18 per week to provide six meals in each weekly backpack. Working with the local grocer, Starfish Packs is maximizing every single donated dollar and working towards its mandate to change the world, one child at a time.
The Surrey Starfish Pack Program, (run by The Rotary Club of Surrey Foundation), is supported by the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund and SurreyCares Community Foundation.
The Starfish Pack program is a weekend food security initiative that provides 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners each week to 60 Surrey families. We have received a grant in the amount of $5,000 from this Emergency Fund. These funds have been used to purchase 270 food cards from Save On Foods each in the amount of $20. These food cards have been distributed to the 4 local elementary schools that we support.
We are very grateful for the support from the Federal Government and the SurreyCares Community Foundation. Together we are making a difference in the community.
Our Surrey Medical Heroes Supporting the Community
30 Members of the Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH) Hospitalist Group, have dug deep and provided personal contributions totalling $11,825 to the Starfish Pack Program in Surrey.
These amazing people spend their days and nights saving lives in Surrey, and they also care so much for hungry kids that they are happy to also spend their dollars. Organized by Dr. Baldeep Toor, who was aware the Starfish project was having difficulty fundraising in this difficult period for us all.
Starfish is a weekend food program offering 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches and 2 Dinners to 60 families at 4 Elementary Schools in Surrey. This amazing gift will provide food for 20 families during the next School year.
Starfish has been operating in Surrey for 4 years and is run by the Rotary Club of Surrey, Rotary Club of Surrey-Newton, and many other community partners such as the Salvation Army, Surrey School District, and the City of Surrey. The local Rotary Clubs have provided Save On Food gift certificates in the amount of $20 weekly, for all 60 families during this period when the Schools have been closed.
Information and donations to this worthwhile project can be completed here or by cheque payable to the Rotary Club of Surrey Foundation and mailed to PO Box 181, Surrey BC V3T 4W8. Our heartfelt thanks go out to these 30 Heros.
Pictured: Dr. Baldeep Toor from Surrey Memorial Hospital and Bryce McElroy Treasurer of the Rotary Club of Surrey.
Testimonials
We are so thankful for our
Donors
Approximately $600 fills one backpack for a whole school year.
The Rotary Club of Surrey Foundation is our host charity. When you click the button, you will be redirected to their CanadaHelps donation page for Surrey Starfish Pack.
Cheque donations can also be mailed to:
Surrey Starfish Pack Program
c/o Rotary Club of Surrey Foundation
PO Box 181
Surrey BC
V3T 4W8
Thank you for your generosity! Your donation makes a huge difference in our community!
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Surrey Starfish in the news
Surrey Starfish Receives Donation
We’re happy to see the community support Starfish Pack in Surrey. Click below for the Surrey Now-Leader news article: Read […]
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Surrey Starfish Pack in the News
Surrey Starfish Pack is up and running! Read all about it here: Read Article
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