With many families facing food insecurity across B.C., the 性视界传媒 school district has stepped in to relieve some of the stress for its students, with the number of kids needing food continuing to rise.

Throughout the district, the Feeding Futures program is offered to students who may otherwise face several barriers to accessing meals. The 性视界传媒 school district's lunch program in particular has been seeing an increase in clients, trustees of the board heard at the regular Jan. 15 meeting.

According to board vice-chair Terry Allen, the district was given $8 million by the B.C. Ministry of Education for the food program.

"We're not in the business of catering, but we took this... and provided needed food to so many students, that I could never thank you enough, but I think it's important that everybody realizes that sometimes we're given these tasks though it's not in our mandate," he added, speaking to Liane Ricou, director of the advancement office, which oversees the district鈥檚 Feeding Futures program.

"We're educators; we're not a catering service."

Through ministry funding, the district will be feeding 10 per cent of their student population by the end of the 2026-27 school year, feeding about 8,300 students.

鈥淪chools and parents like the inclusion of hot meals, the universal model, ordering online and new menu items,鈥� Ricou said at the board meeting.

鈥淔amilies prefer cheaper universal meals and more menu options, both of which will be achievable with our new vendor and ordering system in fall 2025.鈥�

In March last year, there were 2,620 students on the district's lunch program, but by December of the same year, that number rose by 1,700 more students. With 4,344 students receiving lunch by 性视界传媒 Schools, five per cent of the student population is relying on the district for lunch.

In addition to the meal program, students and families also receive food over the weekends and grocery store gift cards that the district receives through donations and sponsors.

According to their data, 585 students from 30 schools go home with gift cards to grocery stores or receive food hampers during winter break. Snacks are provided to more than 15,000 students at 124 schools, and more than 1,300 students from 73 schools receive meals on the weekends.

鈥淭here鈥檚 been a lot of advocacy around a national, universal school lunch program, which would mean that all the kids would be fed,鈥� said trustee Bob Holmes. 鈥淏ut when you realize it鈥檚 over five years and for the whole country, a little back-of-the-napkin math tells me it probably only adds 30 to 40 per cent of what we鈥檙e already doing. It鈥檚 appreciated but it鈥檚 going to be a drop in the bucket in the end.

鈥淏ut despite what鈥檚 going on with government, we really appreciate the work you do, feeding kids who really need that food so they can be at school and learn in a healthy environment.鈥�