School-supplies program helps Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows students prepare

The Salvation Army Ridge Meadows Ministries’ Back to School Supplies Program has provided brand-new backpacks filled with school supplies to students in need since 1995. The program serves kindergarten to Grade 12 students in the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows School District and now assists about 300 families and roughly 400 individual students annually.

SD42 Community Connections and Healthy Living/Food Security program manager Jeannie Harnett said the organization will provide supplies to more than 400 students this year. She said the support reduces back-to-school financial pressure for families and helps children return to class prepared, confident and ready to learn.

Executive director Julie Gilfillan said demand has risen by about 12 per cent each year while supplies have become more expensive. Statistics Canada reports school textbook and supply prices rose 24.0 per cent over 12 years, while books and reading materials excluding textbooks rose 25.7 per cent. Volunteers from Ridge Church and Golden Ears United Church packed the bags, which will be delivered to local schools for pickup in the first week of September.