MONTREAL – August 20, 2020 –  

    • Due to COVID-19, the number of children going to class on an empty stomach has increased from over 1 million to now over 2 million  
    • This back-to-school season, Breakfast Club of Canada is rallying the support of local partners, schools, companies, and Canadians to deliver innovative food programs across the country 

 

TodayBreakfast Club of Canada launches its Back-to-School campaign ‘’Don’t Let Hunger Get in Their Way’’ to mobilize its partners along with Canadians to ensure all kids start their day nourished this fall. Building on its mission of feeding students’ potential and giving all children an equal chance of success, the Club is calling on Canadians’ generosity to support its network of local schools and charities to deliver innovative food programs across the country, no matter how the school year unfolds 

Back-to-school is supposed to be exciting time and a fresh start for studentsHowever, given the pandemic, not having enough food is a major concern for some children and their families,” says Tommy Kulczyk, General Manager of Breakfast Club of Canada. “COVID has severely disrupted the economy and caused severe job loss. We know many families are struggling even more than before to put food on the table. Children are among the most vulnerable, but we can’t let hunger get in their way.”  

According to Breakfast Club of Canada, more than one million children across the country were going to school on an empty stomach before COVID. Now, the Club is forecasting a drastic increase to over two million for the coming school year. That’s a jump from one in four children to more than one in every three children who will be going to school on an empty stomach.  

“We need collective and creative solutions to feed all children during this time of crisis – the alternative is potential negative long-term and permanent impact to both their mental and physical health. For example, hunger limits children’s cognition including the ability to focus and retain information and can also impact their ability to regulate emotions. I am so encouraged by the work Breakfast Club of Canada is doing and the support we have seem from the public during the pandemic,” says Lindsay PleskotRegistered Dietitian and parent.  

The Emergency Fund that the Club launched in March in response to COVID-19 has helped to provide food to over half a million children over the past few months through supporting and collaborating with over 1,000 local organizations and schools cross Canada. With schools re-opening under various regional modelsthe Club’s network has adapted its food delivery services for breakfast programs to minimize risks and physical contact. Based on successes and learnings from restarting breakfast programs in Quebec last May, this includes only distributing individually packaged meals, food to be served in classrooms to allow for proper social distancing and limiting the menu to cold items only.  

‘’As a mom of twins, I know how important healthy food is for my kids. Even as we’ve been sheltering at home, they are constantly learning, playing, running, they NEVER STOP! All of that requires fuel for their growing bodies and brain.  That’s why the work Breakfast Club of Canada is doing is more important now than ever. Let’s make sure all our children can have the fuel they need to feed their potential,” says Breakfast Club of Canada spokesperson and comedian, Jessi Cruickshank. 

“For over 25 years, Breakfast Club of Canada has been providing meals to students before class every morning. No matter what this school year looks like, let’s not let hunger put our children’s future on hold. We hope families and donors across Canada will join us in giving every child an equal chance to succeed this year, says Kulczyk 

To find out more on how to donate to Breakfast Club of Canada’s back-to-school efforts, visit breakfastclubcanada.org.

About Breakfast Club of Canada 

Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance, the Club provides much more than breakfast: its approach is based on commitment, self-esteem and capacity development using an optimal formula adapted to local needs. Breakfast Club of Canada helps feed more than 257,000 children and youth in 1,887 schools across the country. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on FacebookInstagramTwitter and LinkedIn. Use our following hashtags #StopChildHunger and #FeedKidsNow.

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Media Contact 

For more information and to schedule interviews with Breakfast Club of Canada spokespeople, please contact: 

Tatianna Ducklow 
Media Relations 
P: 587-897-7430   
E: tducklow@argylepr.com 

Montreal, August 25, 2020 – Breakfast Club of Canada welcomes the Quebec government’s decision to extend its food aid measure to all schools in the province, regardless of their deprivation index score, to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families and children. BCC sees this announcement as yet another step toward a national school food program for all students.

“This news from the Quebec government gladdens our hearts. The timing of the decision could not be better in terms of helping children and families across the province cope with the considerable challenges brought about by the pandemic,” said Marie-Claude Bienvenue, BCC’s Vice-President, Government Affairs, Quebec, and Municipal Affairs. “It’s wrong to think that students living in low-income communities are the only ones who need support. Food insecurity is not limited to any one postal code, and we applaud the government’s efforts to be proactive in this regard.”

“One thing’s for sure: if schools need our expertise in light of this morning’s announcement, we will be there for them,” said Marie-Josée Lapratte, National Co-Director, Programs, Breakfast Club of Canada. “In Quebec, there is a strong ecosystem in place to alleviate food insecurity among children and their families. A number of organizations play an active role in providing school meals, be it at breakfast, lunch or snack time, and in teaching students healthy eating and cooking skills. Ideally, we would love to see the government and this ecosystem come together in the short term to build a vision of a universal, sustainable and inclusive school food program based on a shared cost model. This is what we at Breakfast Club of Canada have been working toward for the past 25 years.”

A reminder that Breakfast Club of Canada’s back-to-school campaign is now in full swing. Recent BCC statistics confirm that, before COVID-19, over 1 million Canadian children were starting the school day on an empty stomach. This number is expected to skyrocket to more than 2 million in the coming academic year. That means 1 out of every 3 students across the country (instead of 1 out of 4) will be walking into the classroom in the morning hungry for food, rather than hungry to learn.

To donate to Breakfast Club of Canada’s back-to-school campaign, go to breakfastclubcanada.org/backtoschool2020 or text CLUB to 20222.

About Breakfast Club of Canada
Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance, the Club provides much more than breakfast: its approach is based on commitment, self-esteem and capacity development using an optimal formula adapted to local needs. Breakfast Club of Canada helps feed more than 257,000 children and youth in 1,887 schools across the country. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on FacebookInstagramTwitter and LinkedIn.

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For more information, please contact:

Justine Plourde |1-888-442-1217, ext. 3369 | justine.plourde@breakfastclubcanada.org
Nathalie Rochette | 514-404-5660 | nathalie.rochette@breakfastclubcanada.org

Breakfast Club of Canada Unveils Its Back-to-School Campaign Cabinet

MONTREAL – September 28, 2020 – For the first time in its history, Breakfast Club of Canada has brought together an elite squad of business professionals from across the country whose complementary backgrounds will help expand BCC’s network of partners. The six women who have joined the Back-to-School Campaign Cabinet will lend their combined expertise and name recognition to add clout and credibility to the campaign, which kicked off in late August.

Chaired by journalist, philanthropist and host Joan Kelley Walker, the Campaign Cabinet will leverage members’ connections to help the Club’s significantly greater needs arising from the pandemic. Since the beginning of the new school year, schools across Canada have already seen a 25% to 30% increase in program attendance. According to a survey of all available data, BCC expects that food insecurity will rise by 80% this year. This means that over 2 million children will be at risk of not having a proper breakfast every morning. This represents over 1 in 3 Canadian children.

“Nutrition is essential. There is no other way around it. Canadian children deserve to be nourished so that they can live up to their full potential.’’ said Back-to-School Campaign Cabinet Chair Joan Kelley Walker. ‘’ The current crisis has created more vulnerability amongst our nation’s children. I am proud to be a cabinet member for Breakfast Club of Canada’s current campaign, committed to be there for children no matter where they are. I have witnessed firsthand the impact of their programs and the time to take action is now.”

Introducing the Back-to-School Campaign Cabinet:

  • Joan Kelley Walker, Chair of the Breakfast Club of Canada Back-to-School Campaign Cabinet; Journalist, Philanthropist and Host
  • Shelley Mayer, Founder and President, Ramp Communications
  • Gail Nyberg, former Executive Director, Daily Bread Food Bank
  • Anne Fortin, Senior Vice President of Direct Distribution and Chief Marketing Officer, Intact Financial Corporation
  • Isabelle Rayle-Doiron, Vice-President, Public Affairs, and General Counsel, Danone
  • Brett Clapperton, Director, Community Investment and LBG Canada, SiMPACT Strategy Group

The goal of Breakfast Club of Canada’s back-to-school campaign is to mobilize its partners and the general population to ensure all kids start their day with the energy they need to learn. Building on its mission of feeding students’ potential and giving all children an equal chance of success, the Club is calling on the generosity of Canadians to support its network of schools and local charities in order to continue delivering innovative food programs across the country, no matter how the school year unfolds in the wake of the pandemic.

To donate to Breakfast Club of Canada’s back-to-school efforts, go to breakfastclubcanada.org/backtoschool2020.

To view the profiles of the Cabinet members, click here.

About Breakfast Club of Canada

Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance, the Club provides much more than breakfast: its approach is based on commitment, self-esteem and capacity development using an optimal formula adapted to local needs. Breakfast Club of Canada helps feed more than 257,000 children and youth in 1,887 schools across the country. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on FacebookInstagramTwitter and LinkedIn.

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Media enquiries

For more information or to schedule interviews with Breakfast Club of Canada spokespeople, please contact:

Justine Plourde |1-888-442-1217, ext. 3369 | justine.plourde@breakfastclubcanada.org
Nathalie Rochette | 514-404-5660 | nathalie.rochette@breakfastclubcanada.org

• 1 in 3 children in Canada start school on an empty stomach
• Walmart Canada kicks off campaign with $1 million donation

MONTREAL – October 1, 2020 – Breakfast Club of Canada is partnering with Walmart Canada on their annual fundraising campaign to raise money for school and community breakfast programs. Walmart is inviting its associates and customers to participate in this year’s campaign from October 1 to October 23 by donating at the checkout and Walmart.ca.

In these changing times, the Club and its partners maintain their focus on protecting children’s well-being and health along with like-minded organizations and schools.  As 1 in 3 children start school on an empty stomach, donations are needed now more than ever. Breakfast Club of Canada will continue to enable children to thrive and help them develop healthy eating habits, no matter where they are.

To demonstrate how they truly believe every single child should have access to a healthy breakfast, Walmart Canada is kicking off this year’s campaign with a $1 million donation to the Club. It includes:

• A corporate match of in-store customer donations, up to a maximum of $820,000;
• $180,000 to support the growing need for breakfast programs due to the pandemic.

“The Club is lucky to be supported by partners who understand the importance of what we do for children,” said Tommy Kulczyk, General Manager at Breakfast Club of Canada. “Students need so many things to be able to focus on their learning, a healthy breakfast being an important part. We can always count on Walmart for their continued support and, through our annual fundraising campaigns, we’ve been able to reach hundreds of thousands of children in schools across the country.”

“Making nutritious food accessible to children is part of our commitment to fight hunger and food insecurity and to help families live better,” said Nabeela Ixtabalan, Executive Vice President, People and Corporate Affairs at Walmart Canada. “Funds raised through our Breakfast Club of Canada campaign will provide support and much-needed resources for school and community breakfast programs to help ensure students are fueled to learn.”

For the past 18 years, Walmart Canada has worked with Breakfast Club of Canada, donating and raising more than $50 million. This partnership has greatly contributed to enable the Club and its network of 1,887 schools across the country to feed more than 257,000 students each day.

About Breakfast Club of Canada

Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance, the Club provides much more than breakfast: its approach is based on commitment, self-esteem and capacity development using an optimal formula adapted to local needs. Breakfast Club of Canada helps feed more than 257,000 children and youth in 1,887 schools across the country. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow on FacebookInstagramTwitter and LinkedIn.

About Walmart Canada

Walmart Canada operates a chain of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada’s flagship online store, Walmart.ca is visited by more than 900,000 customers daily. With more than 90,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada’s largest employers and is ranked one of the country’s top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada’s extensive philanthropy program is focused on supporting Canadian families in need, and since 1994 Walmart Canada has raised and donated more than $400 million to Canadian charities. Additional information can be found at walmartcanada.cafacebook.com/walmartcanada and at twitter.com/walmartcanada.

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Media Contact

For more information and to schedule interviews with Breakfast Club of Canada spokespeople, please contact:

Justine Plourde
Media Relations, Breakfast Club of Canada
Justine.Plourde@breakfastclubcanada.org

Felicia Fefer
Corporate Affairs, Walmart Canada
Felicia.Fefer@walmart.com

MONTREAL, October 15, 2020 – In response to the growing demand for school food programs across the country, Breakfast Club of Canada would like to reassure the public it has the resources to step up to the challenge. The organization recently put the conditions in place to address the increased need for food shipments, in particular by relocating its warehouse operations to a 16,500-square-foot facility in Varennes, Quebec. Backed by the combined support of individual donors, partners and government administrations, including the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec, BCC now has the leeway to bring breakfast programs to nearly 700 schools in Quebec. This marks yet another step toward a national school food program and will make it possible to reach out to an even greater number of children in the province.

Quebec education minister Jean-François Roberge feels strongly that going to school hungry represents a formidable obstacle to a child’s academic performance and longer-term progress. As a former teacher, he knows how vital BCC is to schools.

“We are very proud to support Breakfast Club of Canada and be part of this important announcement about the relocation of their warehouse. The benefits of healthy eating on school success are undeniable, and that is why the government is supporting the organization’s mission to provide food assistance. As a result of this initiative, the Club will be able to help more children in need. Congratulations to the entire team for all their incredibly hard work in recent months.” – Jean-François Roberge, Minister of Education

This new warehouse will empower BCC to feed even more students and continue to do so with a maximum of agility and flexibility. The organization’s former warehouse in Boucherville was routinely operating at more than 125% capacity. The new space will help streamline operations and ensure the ideal conditions to fulfill BCC’s mission moving forward.

“This warehouse speaks volumes about the significant growth in nutritional needs across the province. As it currently stands, one out of every three children in Canada goes to school hungry. This next stage will help us prepare to face more challenges in the near future.” – Tommy Kulczyk, General Manager, Breakfast Club of Canada

“We are fortunate to work alongside some incredible food and financial partners and operate in an ecosystem that believes wholeheartedly in the work we do. Our announcement today is a very meaningful milestone for us.” – Marie-Josée Lapratte, National Co-Director, Programs, Breakfast Club of Canada

Since the beginning of the pandemic, BCC has had to be especially nimble, with school breakfast programs forced to constantly adjust their practices to support children in line with public health recommendations. In an effort to comply with physical distancing rules and minimize food handling, a cold menu featuring individually wrapped items is currently the norm for school breakfast programs in Quebec. This change has had a considerable impact on BCC, which distributes more than 50,000 meals to 424 schools in the province every day.

Based on the most recent statistics compiled by Breakfast Club of Canada, prior to the onset of the pandemic, more than 1 million Canadian children were going to school on an empty stomach. In the coming year, this number threatens to rise to more than 2 million. Initial school statistics show an increase in demand for breakfast programs in excess of 20%. BCC currently serves 1,887 schools from coast to coast to coast.

To meet these growing needs, Breakfast Club of Canada launched a fundraising campaign of unprecedented proportions in August. To contribute to the BCC back-to-school appeal, go to breakfastclubcanada.org/backtoschool2020 or text CLUB to 20222.

About Breakfast Club of Canada

Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance, the Club provides much more than breakfast: its approach is based on commitment, self-esteem and capacity development using an optimal formula adapted to local needs. Breakfast Club of Canada helps feed more than 257,000 children and youth in 1,887 schools across the country. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on FacebookInstagramTwitter and LinkedIn.

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For more information about Breakfast Club of Canada, please contact:

Justine Plourde |1-888-442-1217, ext. 3369 | justine.plourde@breakfastclubcanada.org
Nathalie Rochette | 514-404-5660 | nathalie.rochette@ breakfastclubcanada.org

MONTREAL – November 9, 2020 – Breakfast Club of Canada and Walmart Canada are proud to announce this year’s annual back-to-school fundraising campaign raised a record-breaking $3.7 million for school breakfast programs.

With 1 in 3 children starting school on an empty stomach, donations are needed now more than ever. Thanks to the generosity of Walmart customers and the dedication of their associates, the Club can continue to help children thrive and develop healthy eating habits.

Walmart kicked off the campaign by announcing a $1 million donation. Generous customers, encouraged to donate by Walmart associates, donated the other $2.7 million of this record-breaking gift.

“Our commitment to fight hunger and food insecurity and to help families live better is unwavering, especially during these challenging times,” said Nabeela Ixtabalan, Executive Vice President, People and Corporate Affairs at Walmart Canada. “We are overwhelmed by the generosity of Canadians and are very happy to provide Breakfast Club of Canada with such a meaningful donation.”

“The Club is very fortunate to be able to count on dedicated partners who understand the importance of a daily nutritious breakfast to ensure children can reach their full potential,” said Tommy Kulczyk, General Manager at Breakfast Club of Canada. “Walmart Canada is our biggest partner and we can’t thank Walmart enough for their generous support over the last 18 years.”

For the past 18 years, Walmart Canada has worked with Breakfast Club of Canada, donating and raising more than $50 million. This partnership has greatly contributed to enable the Club and its network of 1,887 schools across the country to feed more than 257,000 students each day.

About Breakfast Club of Canada

Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance, the Club provides much more than breakfast: its approach is based on commitment, self-esteem and capacity development using an optimal formula adapted to local needs. Breakfast Club of Canada helps feed more than 257,000 children and youth in 1,887 schools across the country. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow on FacebookInstagramTwitter and LinkedIn. #StopChildHunger #FeedKidsNow

About Walmart Canada

Walmart Canada operates a chain of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada’s flagship online store, Walmart.ca is visited by more than 900,000 customers daily. With more than 90,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada’s largest employers and is ranked one of the country’s top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada’s extensive philanthropy program is focused on supporting Canadian families in need, and since 1994 Walmart Canada has raised and donated more than $400 million to Canadian charities. Additional information can be found at walmartcanada.cafacebook.com/walmartcanada and at twitter.com/walmartcanada.

Media Contact

For more information and to schedule interviews with Breakfast Club of Canada spokespeople, please contact:

Justine Plourde
Media Relations, Breakfast Club of Canada
Justine.Plourde@breakfastclubcanada.org

Felicia Fefer
Corporate Affairs, Walmart Canada
Felicia.Fefer@walmart.com