Impact Stories

The reality is that there are a lot of people who are living paycheck to paycheck every month in this community. There are a lot of families—a lot of kids—who need help.

In the middle of the pandemic, Sarah was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis—a chronic, incurable, autoimmune disease that causes significant decreases in mobility.  Sarah was introduced to Backpack Buddies through her daughters’ elementary school. A counsellor knew they were struggling and took the simple step of including them in the group of kids that receive Backpack…

“There have been seasons where I won’t eat so that my kids can.” Kristy is a single mom with a fixed income living in Langford on Vancouver Island.

“When we moved to Canada, we used our savings,” Lauren explains. “We went through them quickly and as we scrambled to make ends meet we often had to skip meals.”

I was raised in a home that struggled. My mom was a single mother who struggled with alcohol addiction and at times became violent. I know firsthand what it’s like to go to school with nothing but a macaroni meat sandwich that no one wants or likes.

My passion for feeding hungry kids began when I was just a child.

We moved to the Lower Mainland when I was 12 years old and I ended up in foster care shortly thereafter. My mom struggled with mental illness and wasn’t able to take care of me the way she wanted. Ultimately, she passed away a few years later.

“I’m always counting down to payday,” Allice shares. “The week before payday, I usually run out of food. It’s so hard when Chris tells me that he’s so hungry and I have to explain to him that payday is coming soon.”