Backpack Buddies expands efforts to feed more kids in need during the pandemic

The demand to provide meals to children in needskyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemicforcing Backpack Buddiesto expand efforts to feed more kids than ever,says one of its founders.

Emily-anne King is the vice-president and co-founder ofthe Vancouver-based programthat istargeting what she calls "the weekend hunger gap,"when there may not be enough food at home.

"You hear often about breakfast and lunch programs at school, but don't often consider what's happening to those children on the weekends who rely on that support," King told Kathryn Marlow in an interview for All Points West.

King, who founded the charity with her mother in 2012,says the demand has been unprecedented duringthe pandemic withBackpack Buddiesprovidingmore than one million meals to children all across B.C. this school year.

"We've had this continual demand for what we do, week in and week out since this started back in March of 2020. And we don't see it slowing down at all," she said.

More families in need

King says this is likely because many families found themselves in financial difficultiesdue to job losses during the pandemic.

Shesays one mother recently describedwhat the program means to her.

"She said it now allows her to eat dinner herself. So before she may have forgone feeding herself in order to make sure that her children had dinner," King said.

She says before COVID they had difficulty distributing meals during the summer months when kids weren't in school. But Backpack Buddies has now joined with community centres and other volunteer organizations to distribute food.

"It created a summer program for us. We're looking forward to really expanding and ramping that up this summer and trying to feed as many kids," King said.