Program Overview
Fueling Kids For Learning
Child poverty in Vancouver is a heartbreaking reality for far too many children in our community. With 1 in 5 kids going to school hungry every day, many children don’t know when they will be getting their next meal. In response to this alarming need, Vancouver Firefighters took action, and in 2013 created Snacks for Kids.
The program is delivered in partnership with the Vancouver School Board (VSB). Vancouver Firefighters purchase and distribute nutritious snacks, fresh produce, and healthy meals to schools with identified populations of food insecure students. VSB staff establish a system for children to access the food that is discreet and anonymous, ensuring they maintain their dignity and face no stigmatization.
Currently, Snacks For Kids is providing daily nutritional support to 11,000 food insecure youth across 102 schools and after school programs.
Why it Matters
A Hungry Child Cannot Learn
Snacks for Kids is committed to ensuring all hungry children in Vancouver schools have the nourishment they need to thrive.
1 in 5 Kids
1 in 5 children in Vancouver go to school hungry every day. In the Downtown Eastside and Chinatown, that number is as high as 3 in 5.
Learning On An Empty Stomach
Hunger makes it harder to focus, interferes with healthy cognitive development, and can leave children feeling isolated, anxious, and stripped of their self-worth.
Long Term Consequences
Childhood food insecurity can limit future educational and career opportunities, contribute to chronic health issues, and perpetuate the cycle of poverty.
We Want Children To Thrive
Caring for the children in our community is a shared responsibility. Every child should feel they belong to a community that cares for them and wants to see them thrive.
No Child Should Go Hungry
Vancouver Firefighters believe that no child should go hungry in a Vancouver school. We work closely with the Vancouver School Board to ensure support goes to those who need it most.
This Food Matters
“Whenever I’m feeling hungry and my stomach starts hurting, I have something to eat to be able to focus better…without food available, I would be struggling” – Snacks For Kids Program Recipient
Supporting
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Food Insecure Youth
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Schools receiving support
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Snack deliveries in 2024
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Produce deliveries in 2024
Upcoming Snacks For Kids Events
Friday, November 7, 2025
Umbrella Day
Selling umbrellas and raising money for our Snacks for Kids program.
Discover What VFC Is Up To!
View All EventsProgram Overview
Not Just Snacks
While providing healthy snacks is the core of our work, we know that some schools need extra support. That’s why, with the support of FreshPoint produce wholesaler, Vancouver Firefighters facilitate regular deliveries of healthy fruits and vegetables to schools where there is a significant need.
If schools don’t have the refrigeration infrastructure in place to safely store the produce, Snacks for Kids will step up and provide refrigerators for them. Currently, 17 schools and after-school programs in Vancouver are receiving bi-weekly shipments of healthy produce.
Program Overview
Glowbal Restaurant Group Lends A Hand
Community partner Glowbal Restaurant Group has stepped up to support Vancouver Firefighters in our mission to feed hungry kids. Through their “School Meals for Kids” initiative, they provided over 2,000 fresh, healthy meals, which we then delivered to kids and families in need this year.
Because so many kids are not receiving the nutritional support they need at home, many rely heavily on school food programs for their nutritional needs. Glowbal’s “School Meals For Kids” support is critical as it ensures kids can go home knowing they have something to eat at the end of the day. Thank you Glowbal Restaurant Group for being an amazing community partner.