Thirteen hundred dollars will be divided between four schools in School District 8 (Kootenay Lake) thanks to the Nelson Professional Firefighters Association Local 1343.
According to a media release, Nelson firefighters held a fundraiser in December to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy Canada as well as for children, and families at local schools who need assistance accessing food and meals.
“The cost of living is always going up,” said South Nelson Elementary principal Jann Schmidt in the release. “There’s an ongoing need to support families who can’t pay for hot lunches, for snacks, and for groceries.
“We are really thankful to the Nelson Professional Firefighters for this donation which will go toward improving food equity in each of our schools.”
Nelson firefighter Chris Thast said in the release the fire department couldn’t stand idly by while kids are suffering.
“I had heard stories about the need for money through schools to support families and children who can’t afford food,” he said. “We brought this need to the attention of our association as a worthy cause to support, and they went for it.”
According to the release, each school will receive $325 to help pay for snacks for students during the day, and provide programs that provide groceries to families to families in need.
Schools receiving assistance are Hume Elementary, South Nelson Elementary, Wildflower Nelson, and Rosemont Elementary.