Providing Children with a Positive Start to the Day

The Grocery Foundation has been a long-time supporter of student nutrition programs in Ontario. Together with the public's assistance, sponsored b...

The Grocery Foundation has been a long-time supporter of student nutrition programs in Ontario.

Together with the public's assistance, sponsored brand and products, and participating retailers such as; Metro, Food Basics, Longos, and select independent grocers in Ontario, and the new addition of Save-on-Foods in Western Canada... we helped to raise almost $850,000 this year during Toonies for Tummies February 9-23!

From the 2017 Toonies for Tummies campaign, $13,525 in grocery cards will go to the Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington's Food & Friends program. The Foundation has also gifted Food & Friends $13,800 for equipment and food purchases.

"Food & Friends is bringing healthy food to hungry minds.
Breakfast, morning meals, snack and lunch programs offered throughout Dufferin, Wellington County and Guelph provide an atmosphere of social inclusion amongst students who may otherwise feel marginalized. Students have decreased disruptive behaviours in the classroom, learn healthy eating habits and build strong social skills."

2016 Facts

  • 103 student nutrition programs served over 16,600 students.
  • 1,990,000 meals were served including breakfast, morning meals, snacks and lunches.
  • $1.45 provides and elementary school breakfast and $0.90 provides a healthy snack.

Thanks to all of you who have contributed to the success of the Toonies for Tummies campaign this year!

Recent Posts

Help Us Make Breakfast a Reality for a Hungry Child

Chasing dreams should be part of every child’s day. Going without breakfast shouldn’t be.

Donate

We are so grateful to Canadians who support Toonies for Tummies during our annual store campaign and, year-round, online.

You may know on April 16th, the Federal Government confirmed plans to support student nutrition programs. Specifically, the budget has announced the creation of a National School Food Program, which will provide $1 billion over five years to Employment and Social Development Canada, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, and Indigenous Services Canada, starting in 2024‑25.

You may wonder what does this government funding mean specific to the need and our efforts to fundraise?

Without a doubt, we continue to need your support. While many student nutrition program leaders are encouraged by the incremental government support, many have taken to the news and social media to confirm even with this support, funding gaps will persist.

The Grocery Foundation's Vision, that no Canadian child goes to school hungry, remains fully intact. Our work continues and remains vital to support hungry children through their school’s student nutrition program. There is no change whatsoever in our focus, our mission, or our reliance on your support.

The programs we help fund are universal in nature. That means all children who require a healthy meal have access. Those on the front lines of these programs affirm their positive impact and positive halo beyond the day’s nutrition, from attendance, behaviours to the school community and mental health. The programs you help fund also support foundational nutrition knowledge and social skill building, as many programs include mechanisms for student involvement in menu planning, food preparation and serving of food to peers.

Thank you for choosing to support hungry children in your community, nourishing their health, well-being, academic success while fostering their school community. With your continued support, we will continue to help dreams take flight and nourish over 3,000 programs and neighbourhoods, yours among them.