Healthy Students
Brighter Ontario

Helping students get the healthy and nutritious
start they need to learn, grow and succeed.

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100% of donations goes towards
feeding hungry children.

The Ontario government is investing an additional $5 million this year in the Student Nutrition Program and the First Nations Student Nutrition Program to help school-aged children get the nutrition they need for academic success.

While funded in part by the Ontario government, these programs are also supported by the generosity of local community members who donate their time and money.

Your participation will be giving hope and nourishment to young minds across the province – even in the most remote communities.

Support students' success in Ontario by donating to the Healthy Students Brighter Ontario Campaign.

Your contribution is a vital ingredient in our recipe for a healthier, brighter future for all our children. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to providing nutritious meals that will empower our young learners to thrive.

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Together we can help students get the healthy start they need to learn, grow and succeed.

When kids are acting anxious or disruptive the first reflex is to try and quiet them and set them at ease. By offering some simple healthy food items you can very quickly see a change in behaviour. As a teacher getting to know the cues of a kid in distress is essential. The Grocery Foundation and gift cards give us the opportunity to keep food on hand all day long. – School Volunteer
Sometimes we have children who come to school with nothing in their bellies. The funding received allows us to provide nutritious meals and snacks which positively impact the students’ physical and mental health. One student came to mind specifically. He attends school not only to learn but to receive food. We have seen a tremendous growth in him; not so much physically, but mentally. The student participates more, smiles more and has more energy. He is much more social and is keen to learn more. Nutritious foods play a vital role in fuelling our children’s minds and bodies. – School Volunteer

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Give a onetime donation and help hungry children in your local community access a healthy breakfast

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Feed a hungry child this school year ($500)

When children get adequate nutrition and regular physical activity, research shows their academic achievement improves.

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Donate Monthly ($50)

Help build a healthy, productive tomorrow for children and youth Give monthly and help fill a hungry tummy for the month at a local school.

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Donate Monthly ($25)

Studies have found children who attend breakfast programs benefit from positive role modeling and attend school more frequently. Your donation will go a long way to filling a tummy for several weeks

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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.