Charity provides meals for kids over the weekend

Wildbird Charity is collaborating with the Blaine Food Bank, Blaine school district and Christ the King Church to feed hungry children by sending them home from school with meals at the end of the week.

The Backpack Program was started by Wildbird to provide meals for kids to take home over the weekend. The charity works with school districts and other organizations throughout Whatcom County to find children who could benefit from the program. Wildbird started working with children in Blaine at the end of last year.

“The whole focus of that program is to feed kids on the weekend who we know are coming to school hungry Monday morning,” said Wildbird Charity administrator Phill Esau.

Blaine school district acting family service worker Bob Feaster said almost half of Blaine students qualify for free or reduced lunch programs during the school week. But two days without school on the weekend – and sometimes more with holidays – means children can go home without a sure way to get food.

“We understand it’s harder for kids to function academically and socially if they’re hungry,” Esau said.

Wildbird is attempting to combat this by providing children with meal bags packed with two breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners, plus some snacks, to take home at the end of the school week. Esau said they try keep the food nutritious, kid-friendly and light since students will be carrying the bags home from school.

The charity was founded three years ago to address poverty issues in Whatcom County. They currently focus on homeless and veteran outreach throughout the region, as well as addressing child hunger with their Backpack Program. They have a store, Wildbird Treasure Chest, at 442 Peace Portal Drive that helps to fund their projects by selling thrifted clothes and home goods.

Esau said they have a Backpack Program in Bellingham, but the one in Blaine has taken off more quickly. The food for the bags in Bellingham is bought with donated funds. In Blaine, some of the food is provided by the Blaine Food Bank and the rest is supplemented by shopping for groceries with donations. The food is collected and packed by volunteers at Christ the King Church on Wednesday nights and distributed to the children on Fridays.

“What I think is really cool about this program is that it’s a cooperative between Wildbird, Blaine schools, the food bank and the church, all working together to help kids,” Feaster said.

According to a study by United Way, 39 percent of Whatcom County families are considered working poor, meaning they don’t make enough money to meet the cost of living in the area. Seventeen percent live below the federal poverty line.

At the moment, Feaster said in Blaine they are providing 30 children with food bags through the school district and 30 more who receive their bags through the Healthy Youth Coalition. However, Feaster said he knows of about 100 more students that could benefit from the program.

“I still feel sad because, while we are helping some kids, all I can see are the kids we couldn’t help this week,” Feaster said.

Feaster hopes to grow the program as much as he can, but since the supplies are all dependent on donations, they can’t provide bags for every student in need. During the snowstorm in February, he said they were able to deliver food to families while school was cancelled. He said they’re attempting to do the same thing when there’s no school over spring break the week of March 31 to April 7.

Wildbird Charity is always looking for new volunteers or donations. Gently used clothes and homeware can be dropped off at the Treasure Chest, but by the end of April they will have moved down the street to the Goff Building at 647 Peace Portal Drive.

To learn more about Wildbird Charity and their other programs visit wildbirdcharity.org. Donations can be made at the Blaine Food Bank at 500 C Street on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m.