On Friday May 23, 2014, ‘Food For Thought’ will take place at Science World in support of Vancouver’s much-loved Backpack Buddies Program. The interactive and fun-filled evening will raise funds for this charity that provides students in Vancouver’s inner city schools with backpacks filled with nutritious food to help sustain them through the weekend.
Supported by children for children, Backpack Buddies currently works with partner schools Collingwood, West Bay Elementary, Brockton and Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School to fundraise and prepare backpacks for Queen Alexandra and Grandview Elementary School in the Downtown Eastside. In operation since 2012, the program currently provides over 300 children on a bi-weekly basis with breakfasts, lunches, and dinners plus snacks, yogurt, cheese, and fresh fruit.
Run by the mother/daughter team Joanne and Emily-anne Griffiths, the Backpack Buddies run by the Community First Foundation is a labour of love. Long time philanthropist and founding member of Canuck Place, Joanne Griffiths has for many years held a special place in her heart for children in need. The Backpack Buddies came to be after Griffiths heard repeatedly from educators and teachers about the void in the system for a program that provides children with adequate food over the weekend.
‘Food For Thought,’ produced by The Social Concierge, will begin at 6:30 pm with an exclusive 80-seat, creative, multi-course culinary journey featuring inspired dishes and drink pairings prepared by Cocktails & Canapés. Following that, the doors will open at 9:00 pm for a Cocktail Party, a playful mingler for 250 guests with canapés and cocktails as well as live entertainment.
Tickets are $250.00 for The Dinner Experience, which includes the Cocktail Party admission. The Cocktail Party tickets alone are $75.00. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.communityfirstfoundation.ca/foodforthought. All proceeds from the event will go back to supporting the Backpack Buddies program.
About Backpack Buddies: Backpack Buddies delivers backpacks of food to the most vulnerable children of our inner city schools. Backpack Buddies focuses on kids helping kids, engaging youth in community and creating an avenue for children of all backgrounds to come together. For more information, visit www. www.communityfirstfoundation.ca/initiatives/backpackbuddies.
About Community First Foundation: Community First Foundation is dedicated to providing food to children in need and in engaging community involvement in food security issues. The mandate of the foundation is to help ensure food security for children in our own community. Community First Foundation was founded by mother daughter duo Joanne and Emily-Anne Griffiths and grew organically out of the Backpack Buddies Program, the foundation’s first initiative. For more information, visit www.communityfirstfoundation.ca
