Manager Heather O'Neill shows some items in the summer food program for kids in need, at the Battlefords District Food and Resource Centre (BDFRC), Friday. The BDFRC offers two "backpack" food programs during the year for kids. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Kids' health

BDFRC offers easy, healthy foods in backpack programs for kids in need

Aug 16, 2019 | 5:00 PM

If you have a few extra dollars you might want to donate it the Battlefords District Food and Resource Centre (BDFRC) to help kids in needy families.

Executive Director Erin Katerynych said the BDFRC offers two programs for kids – one for the summer and another for the school year.

The school-year program called Food For Kids will start up again as children and teens head back to the classroom in September.

We want to make sure these kids who go to food-insecure homes on the weekend have food they can eat on their own, any child-friendly food,” Katerynych said.

Food items are usually small and lightweight so kids can carry them in their backpacks discretely. Katerynych said school liaison officials will often come to the centre, grab some of the pre-made bags of food on a Thursday or Friday and hand them out to the kids on their list.

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She said the BDFRC is always looking for food donations for the program and hopes to expand it.

The program has run since 2011. BDFRC provides between 100 and 120 bags of healthy food items that are easy to prepare to kids in the Battlefords each week during the school year for both elementary and high-school youth.

“It is stuff kids can prepare on their own, like a noodle-cup, fruit cups, granola bars, or mini-boxes of cereal,” Katerynych said.

In addition to working with the schools, the BDFRC also is involved with the City of North Battleford Parks and Recreation and Kids First to deliver the program.

Kids in need can access a similar program over the summer the BDFRC offers called After the Bell, which started four years ago.

Through the program BDFRC provides about 70 bags of healthy food items as well as fresh produce to kids each week over the summer break.

Katerynych said Food Bank Canada supports the program by providing BDFRC with the food and money for fresh fruit.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow