A program that feeds more than 6,000 kids across B.C., with offices in Vancouver and Victoria, is lamenting the lack of mail while celebrating a bank donation.

For Backpack Buddies, a Vancouver-based non-profit dedicated to providing food for children every weekend, the Canada Post strike couldn鈥檛 have come at a worse time. The charity depends on final donations of the year to offset rising costs of living and feeding the families they serve.

鈥淩ight now, one in five children in B.C. are expected to experience hunger this season. While many people are preparing for the holidays, too many kids are wondering if they鈥檒l have enough to eat,鈥� co-founder Joanne Griffiths said in a news release. 鈥淭he holiday season is traditionally the biggest giving time of year for us, with nearly half our annual donations coming in November and December.鈥�

Backpack Buddies relies heavily on donations for its initiative that ensures children who rely on school meal programs during the week have enough to eat when school is not in session. Each week, the organization delivers bags filled with kid-friendly food to kids across the province, including remote Indigenous communities such as Kitasoo, Wuikinuxv, Klahoose, and Bella Bella.

Like many charities, the Canada Post strike is impacting donations.

鈥淲ith the strike in place, we鈥檙e already seeing a drop in donations that are critical to supporting our efforts. I'm used to opening the mail and seeing envelopes come in every day. It's nerve-wracking to see that empty mailbox. This is especially concerning as we have a growing waitlist of children who need our help,鈥� Griffiths said.

The need is particularly urgent this year, as rising costs of living 鈥� including transportation prices and rent 鈥� have put more pressure on families, making it even harder for parents to provide food for their children. With a waitlist of 2,000 young people, the organization is celebrating a partnership with TD Bank which is doubling impact of donations 鈥� matching up to $50,000.

鈥淲e can鈥檛 erase the waitlist overnight, but right now we are doing everything we can to ensure that children don鈥檛 go hungry, and that means rallying our incredible community to help us reach our fundraising target,鈥� Griffiths said. 鈥淓very donation, whether it鈥檚 $25 or more for a weekend food bag, makes a huge difference. I鈥檝e seen the generosity of our kind community before, and I鈥檓 hopeful we can get everyone behind this. Right now, the best way for supporters to help us is by making a donation online.鈥�

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