Subject: You are the best

Dear Grocery Foundation, Today I had a very good day. I help run two school breakfast programs in Shelburne Ontario, Glenbrook Elementary School a...

Dear Grocery Foundation,

Today I had a very good day.

I help run two school breakfast programs in Shelburne Ontario, Glenbrook Elementary School and Hyland Heights. My role is to make breakfast each morning at Glenbrook and to purchase all of the groceries for both programs. Both schools are open for breakfast 5 days a week and we make up lunches and snacks that can be accessed during the day for students in need. Both schools are in a high needs area.

On Friday morning a visitor to the program asked a grade 2 student if she was excited that it was almost the weekend. The student said no, which was unfathomable to the visitor. She asked again.

" You wouldn't want it to be school every day would you?" The student looked at the bagel in her hand, grinned from ear to ear, and said "Yes!"

Moments like this arise and remind us how important the programs are to our community. Our community has been good to support us when they can, but the needs are high and we are always careful to make sure we spend each dollar to get the most for the kids that we can.

Today my partner in these two programs and I filled out our voucher orders. Then we ourselves grinned from ear to ear. Each summer we worry that you will end the voucher program, vouchers that let us feed twice as many kids with those dollars.

Twice as many little grins, twice as many full tummies.

You are making such a huge difference to so many families, but I wanted you to know the difference you make to one little girl with a bagel.

Thank you for making today a very good day. We are so very grateful.

Kit and Tara

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.