Photo: Contributed

The Starfish Pack program has reached a milestone, now feeding more than 1,200 hungry students every weekend in B.C.

In Penticton, 46 backpacks are distributed with full of two days worth of meals and snacks every Friday, feeding 100 children. The program was born seven years ago in Abbotsford with just six students that teachers noticed were coming to school Monday mornings malnourished.

It has now grown to 116 schools in 18 B.C. communities, as well as recently launched an American program in the Washington State.

“Thanks to the overwhelming support from local businesses and community individuals, our backpacks have increased from 10 to 46 and one school to five schools in one year. We also couldn’t do it without the unwavering support of Randall Bamford and his team at Save-On Foods who shops, packs the backpacks and gets them ready for us to deliver every week," said Tracy Van Raes, chair of the Penticton Rotary’s Starfish Pack committee.

“We are still not in all of the schools yet and we will continue to grow the program. There’s no reason why children in our community need to go hungry on the weekends.”

The program costs $525 per child to run and relies fully on local donations.

Local organizers are celebrating the 1,200 student provincial milestone, but say the work is far from done. Its estimated one in five B.C. children live in poverty and regularly go more than a full day without getting adequate calories for healthy living.

“The feedback we are getting from Principals, teachers and families is that this initiative is making a difference,” says Van Raes. “For only $525 we can feed a child for a full school year and give them a proper start to the rest of their life. With the help of our community we are able to make a difference in the lives of children.”

Local organizers are holding their second annual fundraiser at the Barley Mill on Nov. 22. Tickets can be purchased from a Rotary Club of Penticton member or from the Barley Mill Pub. All proceeds from this event go back to Starfish. Last year the event raised $3,600.