“I can’t stand the idea of kids being hungry. Using my business to make a change in the community we work in just makes sense to me—the more we can do to support and bolster Hope, the better.”
— Fabio Scaldaferri
Mattress Recycling™
We’ve known for a long time that there are a lot of hungry children at the far end of the Fraser Valley—in Hope and beyond. But until Fabio Scaldaferri came along, the 350 km round-trip posed a significant challenge to our weekly delivery schedule.
Fabio’s company, Mattress Recycling™, recently moved their plant to Hope. Mattress Recycling™ does exactly what you think: they recycle mattresses—as well as box springs, futons, textiles, carpets, furniture, car seats and more. Basically, if you’ve ever tried to recycle something in BC that wasn’t going in your blue bin, it probably ended up at Fabio’s.
Settling into their new community, the team at Mattress Recycling™ was alerted to some of the pervasive childhood hunger that exists in the Fraser Valley.
“A friend told me about how his wife works in schools and how there’s some need as a result of food insecurity as the cost of living skyrockets everywhere,” he remembers. “The schools already have heavily used breakfast programs in this area – so partnering up with Backpack Buddies compliments that quite well to provide food over the weekend gap. The cost of living just continues to skyrocket everywhere.”
Fabio’s five tonne truck does a run straight down the Number One Highway every week picking up recycling from a major retailer, so tagging on a meet-up with the Backpack Buddies van to pick up 200 bags of food seemed like a no-brainer.
When the food arrives in Hope on the Mattress Recycling™ truck, they take it over to the local Food Bank to store it for a few days. Then, on Friday, the bags are taken to schools in Hope, Agassiz and Boston Bar to be discreetly distributed to kids that need them.
“We’re doing what we can,” he says. “I have two young kids and one on the way and I can’t stand the idea of kids being hungry. Using my business to make a change in the community we work in just makes sense to me—the more we can do to support and bolster Hope, the better.”
Curious about getting your business involved with Backpack Buddies? You’re in good company. Learn more about all the opportunities for impact available here.
Photo credits: Carsten Arnold
