As the nation’s lead advocate for quality nutrition in schools, they provide:
nutrition grants that allow programs to obtain food, equipment and staff required to meet the needs of their school community; child nutrition education resources and tools to help raise awareness and educate communities about proper nutrition; research to support the vital link between child nutrition and learning; and a strong voice for child nutrition that advocates for national meal program in Canada and quality nutrition in schools.
We know that through feeding hungry children, we also nurture strong minds and provide students with the best chance of success possible.
When a child is hungry, it’s hard to learn. A healthy breakfast provides children with the necessary fuel to get off to a bright start each morning, and nutritious meals and snacks throughout the day keeps them energized so they can stay alert and engaged in class. Studies show that well-nourished students have improved memory, problem-solving skills and creative abilities – overall, they perform better in school. Yet, in Canada we have some startling facts:
One in ten children in Canada live below the poverty line and this is only one of the many reasons children go to school hungry each day; 31% of elementary school and 62% of secondary school students do not eat a healthy breakfast daily; Childhood obesity rates, Type 2 diabetes and other health-related issues continue to rise; and still Canada remains one of the few developed countries without a national nutrition program for children.
With a challenging economy and rising food costs, child nutrition programs across the country face the daunting challenge of meeting the needs of their school community on already tight budgets.
In 2010/11 Breakfast for Learning was only able to grant 28% of the funds requested for breakfast, lunch and snack programs, meaning thousands of children went to school without a healthy meal or snack. Help Dominion Lending Centres on our quest to fill the gap and provide Breakfast for Learning all the necessary funds to run their much needed programs.
Breakfast for Learning is a strong, national voice for child nutrition programs in Canada. Together with our nationwide organization of employees, Members and Partners, child nutrition professionals, partners and supporters, and our network of over 30,000 volunteers across the country, we help provide nutritious foods in caring, community-centred programs. For more information, please visit www.breakfastforlearning.ca
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