The Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows Starfish Pack program recently celebrated its local contributions to the provincial program feeding over 1,200 students in need every weekend during the school year.

The program began seven years ago with a single school in Abbotsford feeding six students. It has now grown to 18 BC communities serving 116 schools across the province. The program has also begun in Washington State with Starfish Packs USA launching the program in Whatcom County. MR/PM Starfish Pack currently delivers 102 backpacks to local elementary schools.

Starfish Packs provides two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners and snacks every Friday for local students who depend on in school breakfast or lunch programs during the week.  Each program is run by partnerships between local service clubs, non-profits, businesses, faith groups and individuals.   At a cost of $575/child for the school year, all of locally donated dollars stay in the community and 100% of those funds are spent on purchasing food for local children.