THIS JUNE, CRUNCH TO END CHILDHOOD HUNGER
Backpack Buddies to host inaugural walk and run fundraiser at Coquitlam Crunch
Backpack Buddies, a local charity dedicated to help feed kids in need through student volunteerism, is set to launch its first-ever CRUNCH fundraiser at the locally beloved Coquitlam Crunch (1248 Lansdowne Dr.) on Saturday, June 8, 2019. From 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the event features a hike up the 4.4km Coquitlam Crunch, food trucks, beverage bars, a scavenger hunt, and face painting for kids and adults alike. The whole community is invited to participate and furry friends are definitely encouraged.
British Columbia has the highest poverty rate of any province in Canada. With one in five kids in British Columbia living in food-insecure households, kids often go hungry over the weekend when they aren’t supported by school meal programs.
“Exercise and outdoor activities are certainly a way of life for British Columbians, which is why we at Backpack Buddies wanted our spring event to be hosted at a local spot, 
and the Coquitlam Crunch is perfect”, says Joanne Griffiths, who co-founded Backpack Buddies more than eight years ago with her daughter, Emily-anne King. “Not only will the day be full of excitement and activities for all ages, it is also a great opportunity for the public to gain more understanding on the issue of poverty in our province. We want to shed light on how this affects children who can’t get access to food on the weekends. We want to emphasize this through involving kids in every way that we can.”
The Coquitlam Crunch is a popular exercise route in the community. People can hike, walk, or run up the trail to the 794-foot plateau, and features more than 890 steps.
Tickets are $10 for adults and free for children under 12. Interested CRUNCHers can purchase tickets via EventBrite. More information at backpackbuddies.ca/crunch.
“One of our taglines is ‘kids helping kids’, and getting younger generations involved and aware of the weekend hunger gap is an important step in making a difference, building empathy, and creating a sense of community,” adds Griffiths.
For more information about Backpack Buddies, please visit www.backpackbuddies.ca.
About Backpack Buddies
British Columbia has the highest poverty rate of any province in Canada. With one in five kids in British Columbia living in food-insecure households, kids often go hungry over the weekend when they aren’t supported by school meal programs. Founders and mother-daughter duo Joanne Griffiths and Emily-anne King became aware of this notable rift, which resulted in the creation of Backpack Buddies in 2012. To create a solution, Backpack Buddies provides bags filled with wholesome meals to inner-city school children on the weekends. The venture, which saw them distributing 20 bags to children in need, has since grown to raising over 31,000 bags a year with the help of student volunteers, sponsors, and public awareness. www.backpackbuddies.ca.
Backpack Buddies | backpackbuddies.ca | Twitter: @BPBuddies_ | Instagram: @BPBuddies_ | Facebook: /BackpackBuddiesVancouver
Media release and images provided by Sophia Cheng, Sophia Cheng PR.
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