Starfish
What is it?
- Help feed hungry kids in Chilliwack by supporting the Starfish Pack Program. Approximately 600 children in Chilliwack go to school hungry on Monday mornings. Currently most students in need are provided with breakfast, recess snacks, and lunch each day at school. Unfortunately, the lack of access to food does not end when the weekend arrives, so the Starfish Backpack Program was created by the Abbotsford Rotary Club in response to that need.
- The program is simple. Backpacks are sent home each Friday, full of food for children and their families for the weekend during the school year. We would like to recognize School District #33 and the various community members and businesses who provide their support. The cost of filling each backpack is $525 per school year with 100% of the donations received going directly to the purchase of food for the backpacks. All partners donate time and services for this worthy cause. To date, funds have been raised to take care of 139 children in 8 schools for 2018/2019
Our Goal
No child in Chilliwack Elementary School system should go hungry over the weekend. The long term goal is to expand this program into the middle schools.
Parable of the Starfish
On the morning after a violent storm, the residents of a seaside village awoke to find their beach covered with hundreds of dying starfish which had washed ashore. As the community gathered at the end of the beach, they spoke in hushed tones about the great sadness of the disaster. Suddenly, a young girl ran towards the beach and began to pick the starfish one at a time, then throwing them back into the water. A village elder walked towards the young girl and kindly said, “Child, there are hundreds of starfish on this beach and this must be happening on other beaches up and down the coast. You must understand that you alone can’t possibly make a difference.” The little girl looked up at the old man, smiled and bent down to pick another starfish. As she threw it back into the sea, she replied, “I made a huge difference to that one!”
– Author Unknown
How Can You Help?
Donate today and help your local community in need. If you are looking for opportunity to volunteer with this program, please call our office today at 604.792.4267. No child should go home hungry!
