In Surrey, British Columbia, the principal of K.B. Woodward Elementary School, Lianne McBride, used to have a provincial safety net to help families in crisis. Last year, she could assist 20 to 30 marginalized families who struggled to feed their children or provide winter clothing, thanks to government support combined with community charity.
Government Support Vanishes Overnight
That government lifeline has now been severed. The $20 million provincial affordability fund available to schools across British Columbia was cancelled just before the school year began in September 2025. This decision has left educators like McBride scrambling to fill a significant gap in support for vulnerable students and their families.
"It was a big thing," McBride stated, referring to the loss of the fund. She now relies solely on The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund, which administers the Adopt-A-School campaign. This year, her school is seeking a $3,000 grant from the program to address emergencies.
A Principal's Desk Becomes a Crisis Centre
The immediate impact of the funding cut is felt in raw, human moments. McBride recounted a recent incident where a mother, after dropping her children off at school, broke down in tears in her office.
"She burst into tears, absolutely burst into tears, and said, 'I have no food until Friday, I have nothing,' and it was early in the week," McBride described. The principal's response was swift: using Adopt-A-School resources, she mobilized staff, gathered gift cards, and went shopping to provide the family with groceries.
McBride notes she has "regular streams of families" coming to see her for similar assistance with gift cards. The Adopt-A-School money does more than provide immediate aid; it helps build trust and a sense of belonging, nudging families to engage more fully with the school's support systems.
The Critical Link Between Basic Needs and School Attendance
The crisis extends beyond individual emergencies to a systemic issue: school attendance. K.B. Woodward is part of a district-wide Attendance Matters program, which is applying for a $100,000 Adopt-A-School grant. This initiative provides breakfast for nearly 1,000 students across more than 30 schools.
Research underscores the urgency. If a child misses 10 percent or more of school by Grade 4, their chances of graduating plummet. Children living in poverty are disproportionately affected by absenteeism. The Attendance Matters program incentivizes students with attendance problems to arrive early for tutoring and a guaranteed meal before class.
McBride points to the tangible success of this support, citing a mother who, despite facing considerable difficulties, now manages to get her children to school every single day, rain or shine, because of the assistance she receives.
The cancellation of the provincial fund has starkly highlighted the essential role of community-based programs like Adopt-A-School. For hundreds of families in Surrey and across B.C., these charitable efforts are no longer just supplementary aid—they have become the primary barrier between children and hunger, and a fundamental key to keeping them in the classroom.
