The Food for Learning program for Hastings and Prince Edward counties is joining the call of other student nutrition programs in Ontario for reliable annual funding to help run its operations.
Ontario provided $6.15 million in one-time funding for student nutrition programs in 2023. The share that Food for Learning received was $73,508.
Operations manager for Food for Learning, Kellie Brace, says while the program is appreciative of the funds it received, it is far from enough to sustain the level of service.
“It’s not a one-time expense. The cost of food is going to continue to be high,” Brace tells Quinte News.
“We still have to provide the same level of service to students with less money. So we absolutely need some additional, annualized, reliable funds that can be coming to us year after year.”
Numbers obtained by Quinte News show the cost of food for the program during respective school years:
- Food costs for the 2018-2019 school year (pre-COVID) was $434,701.74
- Food costs for the 2022-2023 school year was $797,241.89
- Food costs for the current school year from September 2023 – February 2024 is currently at $498,992.26
“We have more students that are relying on these programs because of the state of the economy and the cost of food. Families are relying on this more than ever before and we’re spending more on this end because the cost is higher,” Brace said.
In an article from the Canadian Press, the CEO of the Nutrition for Learning in Waterloo, Erin Moraghan, stated that many regions have wait lists of schools wanting to participate while other programs have to only serve schools a few days a week instead of five, or split a snack such as an apple into multiple pieces.
Brace said that while the Food for Learning program has not gotten to the point of splitting a snack and actively tries to avoid that scenario, the cost of food has presented a great challenge in sustaining the programs at a high level.
“We have one of the highest rates of food insecurity in the province and the student numbers are growing,” Brace said.
“This community knows how to support each other and I am full of gratitude for that. The community comes together when we need them. Going through to the last quarter of the school year we’re certainly going to be relying on the community once again to help us support those programs so that kids can have the food right to the end of the school year.”
Those looking to donate can head to Food for Learning’s website or call 613-966-1170, ext. 62232.
