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Delta Firefighters healthy snack program now at 11 schools

It’s a welcome addition to “The Nest” at Ladner Elementary School thanks to the generosity of the Delta Firefighters Charitable Society (DFCS).
DFFCS healthy snack program
The home of the “Eagles” Ladner Elementary is among five more schools that are now part of the Delta Firefighters Healthy Snack Program that was launched back in April.

It’s a welcome addition to “The Nest” at Ladner Elementary School thanks to the generosity of the Delta Firefighters Charitable Society (DFCS).

The home of the “Eagles” is among five more schools that are now part of the Delta Firefighters Healthy Snack Program that was launched back in April.

In cooperation with the Delta School District, the society purchases, organizes and then delivers snacks to designated schools. Funding for the program comes directly from Delta firefighters pay cheques as the society has a strong member payroll deduction program in which 93 per cent of the members donate every pay period.

Ladner joins Holly and Hawthorne in the “southern” expansion of the program that wasn’t supposed to proceed until September. However, with plenty of interest from other schools, the DFCS were in position to move ahead and Ladner Elementary is sure glad they did.

“It means a lot to our school. We have an area called the “The Nest” and it’s a place for invited kids to make their own lunches or supply their lunches,” said principal Toshi Carleton Gaines. “The PAC has also provided food and donations for these lunches. With COVID, times have changed a little bit. While we still provide kids food in school who need the food, what we are doing now is sending food home with families.

“We have some families that are on our radar and some that are not, but reluctant to receiving. They all are really appreciative. It means a lot them.”

Delta Mayor George Harvie was on hand for Wednesday’s “special delivery” to Ladner Elementary and says he has seen the need himself for such initiatives throughout the city.

“Part of my (election) platform was to ensure we are doing more to help our community services groups and our firefighters. They can’t do it all on their own and Delta should have done more in the past years. People don’t want to admit, but when I was doing a lot of door knocking with our team, what we learned was lot of people need some help. One of the first things we did was increase funding for our community groups, especially Deltassist and participating with our firefighters.

“Our firefighters and their association have just been amazing. Here they are again stepping forward. It’s all about reaching those families that need help.”

The other schools participating in the program include: Burnsview Secondary, North Delta Secondary, Chalmers Elementary, Jarvis Elementary, McCloskey Elementary, Hellings Elementary, Brooke Elementary and Delview Secondary.