For some, coronavirus means working from home with no daily commute.
It means spending less on gas, lattes, and dry cleaning.
It means going for long walks on nearby wilderness trails and playing with the kids and dogs in a back yard often with a pool, a trampoline, or both.
But, for others it is not so blissful.
What if the only nutritious meal of the day is no longer available?
Or if those bare cupboards remain bare?
What if the scenarios keep emerging as more and more people succumb to the oppressive reality of the coronavirus crisis.
For some it’s simply adapting to a new and perhaps better normal, for others it’s a life altering catastrophe.
These are the questions that the Langley School District Foundation are hoping the public think about amid COVID-19 and classroom closures, which have caused in-school breakfast and snack programs to have to stop.
The foundation has since committed to provide $50 gift cards every week to the more than 600 families within the school district who need help.
They started the program during the week of April 6 and will continue distributing cards every week while regular classes are suspended.
Susan Cairns, executive director of the Langley School District Foundation, said they could not make such a commitment without the help of all our community partners who have donated to the Langley School District Foundation’s Food for Thought Program.
“We’ve had donations from corporations, businesses, associations and individuals. Local firms including Infinity Properties and Spake Media sent out matching challenges of $10,000 and many responded,” she explained.
Horizon Landscape, Benchmark Properties Foundation, Valley Traffic, Darnell & Co Lawyers, VWR Capital and Shewan Foundation are just a few names who responded to the challenge.
The Vancouver Sun Adopt-aSchool, Breakfast Club of Canada, Aldergrove and Sunrise of Langley Rotary Clubs, TOL Firefighters, United Churches of Langley, Jewish Foundation, Premium Brands, Christian Life Assembly, Envision Financial First West Credit Union, Beatniks Restaurant, Freshco Grocers, Hugh Aspinall, Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation, Ayerborn Audio/Video Inc., Langley Advance Times, Lilianne Fuller, Billy Vanderkerhove, Lorraine and Chuck Marr as well as hundreds of individuals have all made contributions.
READ MORE: Langley School district foundation asking for donations to feed hungry students
“The Foundation is so grateful for the response from the community, but we still need help,” Cairns said. “As the crisis continues, more and more families find themselves in dire straits, often for the first time in their lives. We are in this together. Please, help if you can.”
People can donate online at www.langleyschooldistrict foundation.com on the Food for Thought page or send cheques to Langley School District Foundation, 4875-222nd St, Langley, BC V3A 3Z7.
People can contact scairns@sd35.bc.ca if their family needs help with groceries at this time.
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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
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