Feeding students with the School Fuel program
An Orillia-based food bank is teaming up with a locally-run business to help address the rising number of kids facing food insecurity.
The Sharing Place Food Centre has been working towards supporting youth in need of healthy meals for years through its School Fuel program. The food bank is teaming up with Home Hardware in Orillia to help drum up donations for what the organization's executive director says is a growing need.
"You're a single mom, working hard, trying to provide for your kids and you're not able to put food in that lunchbox, that's a very stressful time and there's a lot of stigma attached to that," said Chris Peacock of The Sharing Place. "So we know if there's kids that are going to school without the healthy food required to be able to fuel their brains and their minds that we're able to support them."
Throughout April, Orillia's Home Hardware will match donations to the School Fuel program up to $20,000. The owners are parents themselves and recognize the need firsthand.
"When we saw that we could sort of provide impact by matching we saw that as a vehicle that we could jump on board and hopefully other people will as well," said partner Kirk Mclean.
Schools can place an order to purchase food through a secure e-commerce platform on a bi-weekly basis. The costs are split in half between the Sharing Centre and each school.
The program was first started in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. With students out of the classroom, many underprivileged youth were going without the nutrition programs held by schools that they relied on.
"So we stepped up to the plate and were able to work with our 23 local schools to distribute fresh, healthy, at that moment it was grab and go snacks that then got distributed to the kids in class," Peacock said.
In its early days, the School Fuel program helped about 1300 kids. Over the last few years as cost of living challenges impact more people the demand has risen, with approximately 4000 youth now relying on the program.
Peacock says about 1 in 5 families in Simcoe County are considered food insecure.
"If a kid shows up to school without food in their lunchbox can be a very stressful moment; it can be a moment where they don't want to sit with their friends because they don't have enough food in their lunch pail," Peacock said.
"So being able to supply those kids with fresh, healthy food, in school where they can access it in a stigma free environment is a wonderful thing and we at the Sharing Place look forward to supporting that program."
According to Peacock, the program has obvious health benefits and can also create a better learning environment for everyone, including those who do not rely on it.
"If one kid is hungry during the day they could throw off the entire class; you could have 30 kids that aren't going to have a solid learning day because of one kid who didn't have enough food and their behaviours can change," Peacock said. "So if we're able to give food to kids in class to keep their ability to learn up and their distractions down, it's an important thing."
Monetary donations are most appreciated as The Sharing Place has more buying power with each dollar. However food donations are always welcome and can also be dropped off at Home Hardware.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
PWHL Minnesota defeats Boston to win inaugural Walter Cup
Minnesota won the inaugural championship of the Professional Women’s Hockey League on Wednesday night, getting 17 saves from Nicole Hensley to beat Boston 3-0 in a winner-take-all Game 5 and claim the Walter Cup.
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
B.C. mortgage broker ran $270-million Ponzi scheme, then fled Canada, bankruptcy trustee says
The trustee appointed to manage the bankruptcies of a Victoria mortgage company and its owner has concluded that they committed "numerous offences" and operated as a "massive Ponzi scheme."
Oilers rally to beat Stars, tie Western Conference Final
With the Edmonton Oilers down two goals late in the first period of Game 4, Rogers Place was quiet, fans seemingly bewildered at the early, quick scoring of the Dallas Stars and the slow start by the home team. Ryan McLeod's marker with six-and-a-half minutes in the opening frame left changed all that.
McDonald's says $18 Big Mac meal was an 'exception' and their prices haven't risen that much
McDonald’s is fighting back against viral tweets and media reports that it says have exaggerated its price increases.
'Targeted again': Montreal police investigate after gunshot fired at Jewish school
Police are investigating another building in Montreal's community was struck by gunfire.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
Poilievre says Canadians 'fleeing' to Nicaragua, Liberals say it shows he 'doesn't have a clue'
Liberal parliamentarians are criticizing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over a new video in which he promotes the idea that some Canadians are 'fleeing' Canada to live in Nicaragua because they can't afford a house in this country.
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.