(image via United Way of Bruce Grey)
Local school food programs are in need of more volunteers as they try to grapple with rising costs.
Ontario Student Nutrition Program Community Manager Bev Gateman says they’ve had to get smart when it comes to their budget allocations, as they only receive limited funding to administer meal programs.
In Grey Bruce, there are more than 65 student nutrition programs that provide food to students in schools through breakfast or other meal clubs.
“We get ministry funding to help support, but our funding level is very, very low. We only receive about 13 cents per child per day,” Gateman says.
They also receive funding through budgeting, fundraising, and donations, but food and fuel costs are still taking their toll on their ability to stretch those funds, but normally work with $1.25 per child per day.
Gateman says they’re also hoping for more volunteers to help with preparing the food for the kids, which is only a commitment of an hour per school day.
“Parents, grandparents, community members are really helpful. They give teachers and staff in the schools an opportunity to focus on teaching the kids, and not doing the prep work.”
In a news release, the Ontario Student Nutrition Program for Grey Bruce’s supervisor for community relations, Danielle Findlay, says “COVID presented a number of challenges for us but it also demonstrated that school food programs are an essential service. Student Nutrition Programs improve students’ overall health and academic achievement. They also offer safe and inclusive spaces and foster connections to the environment.”