Richmond School Board Assistant Superintendent Wendy Lim and District Administrator Marie Ratcliffe spoke to members about the Feed-U-Cate 38 program in Richmond.
Initiated in 2012 by former Superintendent Glenn Kichi , the program is designed to address a dire need in the Richmond for children who go to school each day without breakfast and often without lunch as well. According to Wendy, 1 in 5 families in Richmond live below the poverty line and are not able to provide adequate meals for their children, which is critical in the learning process.
Each school Principal outlines a plan for the next year and submits their request for funding. The school Principal oversees the program and develops their own breakfast and/or lunch clubs engaging older students, ( as well as teachers and other volunteers ) in setting up and serving meals thus making the program a learning experience as well as fostering social responsibility and leadership. All students in the school are invited to attend the breakfast clubs so that no one is ‘singled out’.
The School district works with the Richmond Food Bank as well as other organizations, such as the Richmond Sunset Club and Save-On-Foods.
Visitors today were Assistant Governor Rick Lewall, Rotarian Mike Price from Pender Harbour, returning visitors Robert Lu and Cindy Lau. More pictures...
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