Since The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund launched its Adopt-A-School program in 2011, more than $15.1 million in aid has been sent to hundreds of B.C. schools.
Adopt-A-School is launching its 2025 campaign even as schools deal with more students in need
It has provided millions of meals to impoverished students arriving at school hungry as well as buying clothing or other items necessary for their welfare.
The program has also provided children with food at home during times there has been no food or money in their household.
It has clothed children coming to school inadequately dressed or without winter coats, proper footwear, or wearing the same unwashed clothes for weeks.
It provides them with the means to intervene if a child is in distress because of poverty, allowing them to provide relief without delay.
Teachers are seeing families that once got by, but are now struggling to pay rent and feed their children as the price of food and accommodation has put them into crisis. It is no longer just families existing on minimum wage jobs or social assistance finding it difficult.
Most of the $15.1 million has been spent on providing breakfast or lunch programs in schools, including building and equipping kitchens where necessary.
The following is a breakdown of how the money was distributed:
Since 2011, 338 individual schools (and organizations) have received AAS help with the majority of schools continuing to receive help year after year.
A total of 44 school districts in B.C. have received AAS funding with the following having received the majority:
• Surrey — $4,247,231
• Vancouver — $3,974,525 (in addition the Strathcona Community Centre has received $456,921 for its breakfast program at Strathcona Elementary School.)
• Burnaby — $708,849
• Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows —$606,039
• Nanaimo-Ladysmith — $514,044
• Langley — $440,674
After last winter’s 2024-25 campaign, a total of 172 grants worth $1,482,381 were approved by The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund board.
Applications for help from the 2025-26 campaign are already being received from schools.
None of the money raised by The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund for AAS is used to pay administrative costs — 100 per cent of donations are used to help children.
Please visit https://vansunkidsfund.ca/donate to donate and learn more about the program.
By Gerry Bellett (gbellett@gmail.com)
