VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, November 4, 2015 – Emily Overholt, Canadian gold medal winner at the 2015 Pan Am Games, has chosen Backpack Buddies to be the recipient of a $1,000 cheque of behalf of Chicken Farmers of Canada.

When a Canadian swimmer wins an individual world championship medal, the CFC donates $1,000 to that swimmer’s local food bank, and an additional $1,000 to their swim club, for a total of $2,000 per medalist. Emily Overhalt, a graduate of Collingwood School, a partner school for the Backpack Buddies, asked that her donation be given to them instead. “I think it’s such a good cause,” says Emily.

The breakout star of the Canadian swimming team, 17-year old Emily was the youngest swimmer on the team when she won gold in the women’s 400 m freestyle, silver in the 200 m freestyle, and bronze in the women’s 4x200 m freestyle relay at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto. Exceeding all expectations, Emily set an impressive Pan Am record in the 400 m freestyle.

Supported by kids for kids, Backpack Buddies run by the Community First Foundation, works with partner schools including Collingwood, West Bay Elementary, Brockton and Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School to fundraise and prepare backpacks for Queen Alexandra and Grandview Elementary School in the Downtown Eastside. In operation since 2012, the program currently provides over 300 children on a bi-weekly basis with breakfasts, lunches, and dinners plus snacks, yogurt, cheese, and fresh fruit.

About Backpack Buddies:
 Backpack Buddies delivers backpacks of food to the most vulnerable children of our inner city schools. Backpack Buddies focuses on kids helping kids, engaging youth in community and creating an avenue for children of all backgrounds to come together. For more information, visit www. www.communityfirstfoundation.ca/initiatives/backpackbuddies.

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