In Surrey, British Columbia, the stark reality of the affordability crisis is being felt in family homes, where survival often depends on critical support from local schools. The stories of two single mothers, whose names are being withheld, highlight a growing dependence on educational institutions for basic necessities like food.
The Impossible Math of Rent and Groceries
One mother, whose husband passed away a year ago, is now the sole provider. She receives $1,530 per month in social assistance, which, combined with federal child tax credits, brings her total monthly income to approximately $3,000. Her rent alone consumes $2,500 of that amount, leaving a mere $500 to cover all other expenses for herself and her three teenage daughters at home. An 18-year-old son who lives away also frequently returns seeking meals.
When asked how she manages, her answer is blunt: "I don't. I pay the rent and whatever bills." The consequence is constant hunger. "How often are you hungry?" "All the time," she admits. Her children rely on the two meals they receive each school day, often missing meals at home. Weekends are managed through food banks and the generosity of friends.
Schools Become a Lifeline Through Wraparound
Both families are supported by the Surrey school district's Wraparound team, a unit originally designed as an anti-gang initiative to protect high-risk youth from criminal exploitation. The program has evolved into a vital source of emergency aid. Jon Ross, a Wrap program supervisor, notes that the first mother's home is a safe haven for other children experiencing hardship, further straining her limited food resources.
The Vancouver Sun Children's Fund, which administers the Adopt-A-School campaign, is currently seeking to raise $25,000 specifically for the Wrap program. This funding allows the team to continue providing grocery cards and essential supplies to families in desperate situations. Both mothers profiled have received this crucial assistance throughout the year.
A Systemic Issue Requiring Community Support
The second mother works a minimum-wage job, facing a similar struggle to bridge the gap between earnings and the cost of living. Their collective plight underscores a systemic issue where social assistance and low wages are completely outpaced by housing costs in the region.
The Wrap program, part of Surrey's broader Safe Schools efforts, demonstrates how schools are increasingly on the front lines of community welfare. For these families, the weekly grocery bags and gift cards are not a supplement but a fundamental component of their survival, preventing hunger and offering a thread of stability in precarious circumstances.
