Toronto, October 25, 2011 – One in six children in the province live below the poverty line and far too many of them wake without certainty of their next meal. Today, The Grocery Foundation, an Ontario-based not-for-profit representing the province’s grocery industry, announced a $1 million donation to Breakfast for Learning (BFL), Canada’s leading child nutrition charity.

The grant will provide for over 448,594 meals per week and will help school communities fund equipment needs. The Foundation has also made an additional $500,000 investment for capital equipment. Nearly 140,000 Ontario children from 392 schools in 132 cities will benefit from this donation according to the partners. The Grocery Foundation donation represents 34 per cent of the total number of schools across the province which will be funded by Breakfast for Learning in 2011 school year.

“Despite their best efforts, food scarcity is a reality for many families across the province. And, the gap in funding is growing,” says Wendy Wong, President and CEO, Breakfast for Learning. “While there are many novel initiatives underway to help address the underlying issue in the long-term, we have an urgent immediate need. In some cities, this grant will cover more than 50% of the necessary funding for meals served in child nutrition programs and urgently needed capital. It’s quite significant.”

There is extensive literature documenting the detrimental long-term effects of poverty. The numbers reveal the persistence of high levels of poverty among children and youth and food insecurity are considerable issue:

• Approximately 8.4% of Ontario residents are food insecure1
• There are approximately 2.1 million students attending 4,931 schools in Ontario. Of these schools, 3,600 have access to a student nutrition program. Approximately one third of these programs (1,137) are supported by BFL
• BFL has seen the need quadruple over the past decade

“We can’t downplay what it means to feed our children. They are our future entrepreneurs, our business and political leaders, “says Michelle Scott Executive Director, The Grocery Foundation, a not for profit which provides funding to community groups across the province. “We need to think much more holistically about this issue. When we nourish a child, we are not only meeting their basic need for food, we are in essence supporting the prosperity of our province and our collective futures.”

Breakfast for Learning helps to start and sustain over 5,000 child nutrition programs across Canada, serving healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks to more than 425,958 children and youth in a nurturing environment. Over 2,395 of those programs are in the province of Ontario.

Studies show that well-nourished students show improved memory, problem-solving skills and creative abilities – overall, they perform better in school.

Breakfast by the Numbers: The Impact of the Donation to Local Ontario Communities
A total of 392 schools will benefit from The Grocery Foundation donation including schools in Hamilton, London, Ottawa, Sudbury and Toronto. The balance will be divided in cities across the province.

About Breakfast for Learning

Working to ensure every child in Canada attends school well-nourished and ready to learn, Breakfast for
Learning helps to educate and empower communities to start and sustain school-affiliated child nutrition programs through the provision of: grants, equipment, child nutrition resources, and access to a team of registered dieticians. In the 2011-2012 school year, Breakfast for Learning will provide funding to over 4,683 programs, helping to serve healthy meals and snacks to over 459,458 children and youth.
For more information, visit www.breakfastforlearning.ca.

About the Grocery Foundation

The Grocery Foundation is an Ontario-based not-for-profit,  representing  leaders  from  Canada’s  grocery  industry.    It   was established in 1979 to enrich the lives and wellbeing of children; providing them a hand up so that they can learn and succeed. To date, The Grocery Foundation has raised in excess of $75 million which has gone toward over 250 organizations across the province meeting a number of health and wellness needs including providing nutritious breakfasts and snacks for school-aged students across the province. Many Grocery Foundation companies and their employees also work as volunteers alongside countless community groups nourishing dreams, abilities, and brighter futures. To learn more about The Grocery Foundation, visit: www.groceryfoundation.com On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groceryfoundation.

For Further Information, please contact: Gabby Nobrega, The Grocery Foundation
(office) 416-515-8433 • (cell) 416-930-9756 •  (email) gabbyn@rogers.com
Editors Note: A Photo is available upon request.

1 (Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.2, 2004 – Share File, Household Weights) 2 (Source: Escott S. Food banks already feeling the effects of summer. The Hamilton Spectator. June 22, 2011.
3 (Source: Ottawa Food Bank website http://ottawafoodbank.ca/face-of-hunger)
4 (Source: Toronto Foundation for Student Success website, 2011)

Michelle Scott, Executive Director of The Grocery Foundation excepts a cheque for $302,860 from Robin Downs, Director, Marketing, Community Format and David Jeffs, President Operations, Sobeys Ontario. This cheque represents donations made during the Toonies for Tummies campaign at their Sobeys, Price Chopper, FreshCo
and Foodland stores across Ontario.

A big thank you to Sobeys for announcing that Club Sobeys members can now donate their Club Sobeys Points to The Grocery Foundation.

On May 2, Dave Jeffs, President Operations, Sobeys Ontario, presented 500,000 points to Michelle Scott, Executive Director of The Grocery Foundation.

“Sobeys has a long history of supporting the communities in which we operate and we are excited to offer our Club Sobeys members the opportunity to support The Grocery Foundation and Toonies for Tummies year round”, says Mr. Jeffs.

Sobeys customers can donate their points on the Club Sobeys donation page.

Part of their commitment to their customers is that they donate $10.00 to The Grocery Foundation for each package of meat products they sell at the end of the month

Onterra Farms is a locally owned business and a certified distributor of Farm Fresh Ontario. Onterra Farms delivers only premium quality meat products direct from Ontario local farmers.

We’d like to extend a big Thank You to Telus, for supporting us in our mission to get food to hungry kids with a cheque for $429.50.

The Telus Ambassador Club (Toronto West) held a 50-50 draw during a team breakfast, raising the money for our annual Toonies for Tummies campaign.

Since the Telus Ambassador Club’s tag line is “We give where we live”, the money will stay within Peel and is earmarked to be used for breakfast and snack programs at Holy Cross Catholic School in Malton.

The Grocery Foundation will provide the school with food vouchers for milk, cereal, bread, fruit, yogourt and cheese.

But that’s not all. We would also like to acknowledge Telus (Toronto) for their fundraising efforts. During their team breakfast they asked for Toonie Donation from everyone and collected $510.00.

In the picture: TELUS Ambassador Committee – Toronto West
Back row: Dominic, Sandra, Michelle Scott (The Grocery Foundation), Juliet, Mark
Front row: Iva, Tanya, Maureen

The Board of Directors of the Grocery Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Michelle Scott to the leadership position of Executive Director.

Michelle is well known and greatly respected in the Canadian Food Industry from her role as Vice President of Events and Grand Prix with the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors. In her new position Michelle will assume the principal executive position of the largest food industry charity which has a specific mission to get nutritious food to hungry children.

In existence since 1979 the Foundation is well known for initiatives such as “Toonies for Tummies” and Canada’s biggest fundraising event – “The Night to Nurture Gala” which are designed to raise funds to support the Foundation charitable objectives.

Here are some wonderful shots from the Bayview Store. Every single contribution will help kids in need.

One of the many highlights of this year’s Night to Nurture Super Gala was the the presentation of cheques for $1,000,000 each to Kids Help Phone and Breakfast for Learning. An emotional moment for everybody in the room.