There are still hungry children during COVID-19

Covid-19 may have closed schools, but it’s not halted the demand to feed hungry children. In fact, it’s magnified it. In recent weeks, The Gro...
Covid-19 may have closed schools, but it’s not halted the demand to feed hungry children. In fact, it’s magnified it.
In recent weeks, The Grocery Foundation has been working with its retail, food and consumer goods manufacturing partners to support local student nutrition programs and their efforts to find novel ways to meet the existing and growing need.
Feeding hungry children outside of the usual school setting has involved innovation and commitment by many. We want to share these uplifting stories with you.
In the Sudbury and Manitoulin region, the local student nutrition program and Good Food Box, found a safe host location in Better Beginnings Better Futures where they could prepare 225 bags filled with non-perishable nutritious foods. Members of this team then packed up their vans, embarking on a 2 hour journey to Manitoulin Island where they welcomed students and their families.
We’ll keep you posted on how donations from the recent Toonies for Tummies campaign will help students once school resumes.

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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.