1 in 3 Children in Our Communities Is at Risk of Going to School on an Empty Stomach, They Need Our Help

As Canada’s grocery retailers, food, beverage and consumer goods brands that are part of Canadians’ daily lives, we can think of no better purpose than to join together to feed hungry children in the communities where we work and live.

Together We Can Make the Biggest Impact

Our Mission & Vision

Our vision is simple: no hungry kids at school. The Grocery Foundation embraces teamwork and cooperation to tackle the problem. We’re a community of grocery, food, beverage and consumer product companies united by the mission to feed the one child in three who comes to school hungry. We believe that by coming together, we stand to have the biggest impact.

We also believe in a Canada that’s True, North, Strong and Fed™. That’s why we all share the same vision, leverage our combined resources and work together to support student nutrition programs in hundreds of Canadian communities feeding over 1 million children.

Our Charitable Status

Charitable Foundation of the Ontario Grocery Industry Operating as The Grocery Foundation is a non-profit Foundation registered in the province of Ontario (Canada), established in 1979. Charitable Registration Number: 12697 6711 RR0001

Financial Statements

When we feed a child good things happen

17%

Improvement in graduation rates between students who regularly ate breakfast and those who didn’t

Mental Health

For children, living in a food insecure household is associated with childhood mental health problems like hyperactivity and inattention. Experiences of hunger during childhood have a serious and lasting impact on mental health, manifesting in greater risks of depression and suicidal ideation in adolescence and early adulthood. (Source)

A lot of kids are counting on us

1 in 3+

Canadian children living in homes that struggle to put food on the table

1,104,962

Kids in Ontario and Western Canada had daily access to student nutrition programs pre-COVID. This number continues to grow.

Over 3,000

Student Nutrition programs that we currently support

Small change makes a big difference in your local community

$2

Average cost of a meal through student nutrition programs

Over 10 Million

Breakfasts provided across Canada since 2017

100%

Donations flowing back into local student nutrition programs

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.