The sight of the Sedin twins, Henrik and Daniel, aided by Daniel’s wife, Marinette, handing out the grab-and-go breakfasts that feed 250 hungry children from the adjoining Lord Strathcona Elementary School quickly became an occasion of selfies and autographs, and no small wonder. This breakfast program has been supported by The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund Adopt-A-School campaign for years and is again asking for $35,000 to buy food. Henrik, Marinette and Daniel were there to show support for the Children’s Fund but also to encourage other donors to consider helping AAS raise money for impoverished children and families suffering from a lack of food, clothes and other necessities. “We are hoping to raise awareness that school programs and food banks require more help. There’s a need for other people stepping up,” said Henrik. The Sedins always did their talking on the ice. So, when it comes to good works, they let the Sedin Family Foundation and the steady outflow of funds to a variety of worthy causes do their talking too. So why are Henrik and his wife, Johanna, and Daniel and Marinette doing this? “We believe it’s a responsibility to help where we can,” said Henrik. “When we first came to Vancouver and started playing hockey, we wanted to help the community. “And when we retired, we started the Sedin Family Foundation so we could do it together as a family.” The foundation will also be supporting food banks in northern B.C. During COVID-19, it was the Sedin’s support with a $35,000 donation that kicked off a last-minute AAS campaign that eventually raised $800,000 so food could be distributed to hungry families from school parking lots while isolation rules were in place and schools were closed. And now their foundation has provided the Children’s Fund with a $126,000 donation that will be directed to six northern B.C. schools seeking AAS help for families in dire need of food, winter clothing and other essentials. Daniel said the families want to help schools in the north because they don’t have access to the kind of social, medical or other civic services found in the large metropolitan areas of the south. “We think there’s a real need up there. We just want to help,” he said. “And I would like to ask other donors to join with us and support the Vancouver Children’s Fund’s efforts to feed and clothe children in need across the province.” This year, the Children’s Fund is being asked for more than $1.5 million in aid from 164 schools to provide food, clothes and necessities to children and families struggling with poverty due to a cost-of-living crisis. Families relying on income assistance or minimum wage jobs are finding that they’re unable to pay rent and adequately feed themselves. Since 2011, more than $15 million has been sent to hundreds of schools to feed and clothe children in need. No administration fees are deducted from AAS donations; the whole donation will be directed to schools. 1. ONLINE: Donate online with a credit card at www.vansunkidsfund.ca 2. PHONE: To pay by credit card, call 604-813-8673.
How to donate
By Gerry Bellett (gbellett@gmail.com)
