Image Credit: Pexels.com
October 04, 2020 – 3:23 PM
A healthy food program has resumed in Vernon schools, aiming to address food insecurity in the city.
The Kalamalka Starfish Society is providing families with a healthy supply of food every weekend, according to the society’s press release.
“The need in Vernon for a consistent, healthy food supply is surprisingly significant,” said Krista Blankley, president of the society. “We know that COVID has impacted many local families. During the spring, we were able to continue working with the school district to ensure food delivery continued. Today, we are happy to start delivering packs again for the new school year.”
READ MORE: Okanagan, Kamloops student meal programs meeting need of communities during pandemic
Each pack provides enough food for two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners, fresh fruit and snacks for the weekend.
When Kalamalka Rotary started the Starfish Pack program in Vernon in 2016, 20 packs were delivered to schools. Over the last few years, and thanks to the generous donations from the community, the Kalamalka Starfish Society, which was formed with Kal Rotary members, now provides 78 Starfish packs to 11 different schools, according to the press release.
More than $64,000 was raised within minutes during last years’ Kal Rotary Dream Auction and the society is looking forward to increasing the number of packs provided soon, said David Spencer, Kalamalka Starfish Society vice president, in the press release.
For more information on the Starfish Pack program or to make a donation, visit the society’s website.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Carli Berry or call 250-864-7494 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won’t censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
