The warning signs first appeared last fall at a rural high school on the outskirts of Vernon. Teachers noticed more students lingering near the cafeteria during lunch hour – watching, rather than eating.
“We’d see kids pretending to forget their lunch, or saying they weren’t hungry,” explains Carrie Morgan, a resource teacher who’s worked in School District 22 for over a decade. “But when food was offered, they’d take it immediately.”
What began as isolated observations has grown into a disturbing pattern across the North Okanagan. More students are arriving at school hungry, with the number of food-insecure children climbing steadily over the past eighteen months.
In response, a grassroots coalition of teachers, parents and community volunteers has formed Feed the Future North Okanagan. The group now provides supplemental food for over 320 students weekly – nearly triple the number they supported when launching in 2022.
“We are the Band-Aid,” says Marion Faulkner, the group’s volunteer coordinator. “In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need to exist. But right now, we’re seeing families making impossible choices between heating their homes or feeding their children properly.”
The crisis reflects broader economic pressures hitting British Columbia’s interior communities particularly hard. According to Statistics Canada, food prices in B.C. have risen 23% since 2021, while housing costs in the Okanagan Valley have increased by nearly 35% in the same period. The provincial child poverty report released in February shows one in five children across the region now lives below the poverty line.
“These aren’t just numbers,” says Faulkner. “We’re talking about kids who can’t focus in math class because they haven’t eaten since yesterday’s school lunch.”
The program operates with minimal bureaucracy. School counselors identify students in need, and volunteers discreetly deliver food packages that students can take home on Fridays – often the start of the hungriest period of the week for many families.
Local businesses have stepped up. Valley First Credit Union provides storage space, while several orchards donate seasonal produce. But the core funding comes from community donations and small grants that volunteers describe as “increasingly competitive.”
“We’re stretching every dollar,” explains Morgan. “A typical weekend package costs about $12, but provides enough food that a child won’t go hungry until Monday morning.”
The growing need has sparked conversations about more sustainable solutions. At a recent Vernon city council meeting, Councillor Kari Gares proposed exploring partnerships between the municipality and the provincial government to address child food insecurity.
“When one in five children in our community is going hungry, that’s not just a school issue or a family issue – it’s a community failure,” Gares said during the meeting.
B.C.’s Ministry of Education has taken notice. In a statement to Mediawall.news, Ministry spokesperson Daphne Thompson acknowledged the challenge: “We recognize food security as fundamental to learning success. The Ministry is reviewing the School Meal Program funding with an aim to expand support for vulnerable students.”
Currently, B.C.’s School Meal Program provides $65 million annually across the province, but educators argue it falls far short of meeting actual needs, particularly in regions experiencing rapid cost-of-living increases.
The North Okanagan group isn’t waiting for government solutions. They’ve launched a summer planning initiative to ensure support continues when school cafeterias close for the break.
“Summer is when the safety net disappears,” says Morgan. “Many of these kids rely on school food programs for their most consistent meals.”
Local food bank statistics support her concern. The Vernon Food Bank reports a 42% increase in families with children accessing services since 2021, with summer months showing the highest demand.
The Vernon School District has taken notice. Superintendent Christine Perkins recently authorized the use of school facilities during summer months to help coordinate food distribution efforts.
“Our mandate is education, but hungry children can’t learn,” Perkins noted in an email to district staff. “Supporting these community initiatives aligns perfectly with our commitment to student success.”
For families receiving help, the program offers more than just nutrition. One parent, who asked to remain anonymous to protect her children’s privacy, described the weekend food packages as “the difference between making it and not making it some months.”
“I work full-time, but after rent and utilities, there’s almost nothing left,” she explained. “Knowing my kids have food for the weekend means I can sleep at night.”
The group hopes their efforts will spark broader action on childhood poverty. They’ve documented their work and presented findings to both the regional district and provincial representatives.
“We need systemic changes,” says Faulkner. “But until those happen, we’ll be here making sandwiches and filling backpacks. Because no child should worry about where their next meal is coming from.”
As school districts across B.C. face similar challenges, the North Okanagan model offers a template for community response. Several neighboring districts have reached out to learn from their approach.
“We’re not solving the problem,” Morgan acknowledges. “But we’re keeping kids fed while the bigger conversations happen. And those conversations are starting to get louder.”
For now, the group continues its weekly routine – packing, delivering, and ensuring hundreds of students have something to eat when the school bell rings on Friday afternoon.
Those wishing to support Feed the Future North Okanagan can contact the organization through School District 22 or visit their community donation page.
