The Cowichan Valley School District has given Nourish Cowichan a donation of $308,344 from the district’s allocation of the BC Student and Family Affordability Fund.
A press release issued by the school district noted that through in-depth community consultations, Nourish Cowichan was identified as a key community partner that continues to provide exceptional service to students and families in the Cowichan Valley.
“We know what an incredible service that Nourish Cowichan brings into our schools. Making high-quality, delicious food available for any child in the district takes incredible community support. By allocating these funds, we are helping to do our part in bolstering Nourish Cowichan’s efforts,” said Cathy Schmidt, the recently elected Cowichan Valley School District Board of Education chair.
The funds couldn’t have come at a better time, said executive chef, Fatima Da Silva, executive director of the Nourish Cowichan Society.
“These funds come at the most crucial time. When we started this school year, we started with the knowledge that the number of students we support would be going up,” she explained. “What we didn’t expect was to see it raise to more than 50 per cent.”
Da Silva noted that due to the rising cost of living, more families are struggling.
“Every week our numbers are continuing to go up. For the very first time, our new forecasted budget for the year is approximately $1 million. Our gratitude for this gift and growing partnership is immense.”
The school district noted that the remaining BC Student and Family Affordability funds were allocated to schools to best support their students and families throughout the year.