Langley Schools There for One Another: Donation to Parkside Food Hub
November 26, 2020
“Everyone goes through tough times, sometime. So, we just need to be there for each other, and help when we can.” These are the sentiments of Principal Cathy Gracie at Parkside Centennial Elementary in Aldergrove.
The school was the beneficiary of a generous donation of vegetables, collected by North Otter Elementary, and Topham Elementary. Families at Topham and North Otter were able to purchase bags of veggies for themselves, and by doing so, a bag of veggies was donated to match their purchase.
“We’re super excited,” says Gracie. “We are following all of the COVID protocols of physical distancing, everyone’s wearing their masks. But we have tables and tables and tables of carrots, onions, apples, potatoes, beets, and so on. So, we’re very grateful.”
In addition to vegetables, Sources, a regular donor to the school, also supplied goods. “When we talked to Sources,” says Gracie, “they doubled up their order, and brought lots of cereals, canned goods, eggs, and breads for our families.”
“It’s been outstanding,” continues Gracie. “It’s a real credit to the Langley School District community, how we really do look after one another.”
Grade 5 students help coordinate the food donation.
Earlier in the year, Parkside also ran a mini free grocery store, coordinated by their Youth Care Worker, Jennifer Fuller, where families could come in one at a time and select what they needed. So, once more Fuller, has been helping to coordinate the veggie donations.
“The administrators from both North Otter and from Topham reached out to us,” says Gracie, “and then the Youth Care Worker from North Otter was in contact with our Youth Care Worker, Jen Fuller, who has been working tirelessly to support our families over the last couple months.”
“Especially going into the holidays,” continues Gracie, “we really want to make sure that people are eating healthy. And we’re doing everything that we can to help them have a healthy mind and a healthy body.”
“There’s so many families all throughout Langley, that could use a hand up,” says Gracie. “So, it’s really important that we’re all here.”
If you are looking to support families in Langley, you can also donate to the Langley School District Foundation’s Food for Thought Program, which helps bring food to families around the District. You can donate by visiting their website here.