Tommy Kulczyk: A Leader Committed to Making Children’s Lives Better  

Behind Breakfast Club of Canada is a leader whose determination to deliver on Breakfast Club of Canada’s mission extends beyond the realm of a purely professional endeavour. It stems from a deeply rooted personal commitment to ensuring that no student in this country starts their day on an empty stomach.  

A born mover and shaker  

Tommy’s passion for pitching in and making a difference goes back to his childhood. “My parents instilled a strong sense of community service in me at an early age,” says Tommy. “My mother was a volunteer, and my father used to say there was always room at his table for friends.” It was this spirit of sharing that would shape Tommy’s path forward.  

In the 1980s, he was put in charge of emergency assistance programs, coordinated natural disaster response efforts and got close to a dozen social initiatives off the ground that would have an impact on thousands of lives in Montreal, across Quebec and nationwide. He also chaired a provincial poverty advisory committee and served as the City of Montreal’s Commissioner for Children.  

He can trace his connection to Breakfast Club of Canada back to the organization’s humble beginnings. “A year before the first breakfast program started up, the founder approached me. The organization where I was working at the time helped with getting some of the food to run the pilot program.” Tommy eventually joined the BCC team in 2019 and was named President and CEO in 2022. 

Firmly held values  

Tommy believes in the power of teamwork. “When you get schools, communities, governments and businesses all working together, that’s when you’ll create something that lasts.” Access, innovation and compassion are the three pillars that underpin his approach to leadership. “And every decision we make at the Club puts children front and centre. Always.”  

The pandemic: the moment of truth 

Tommy hadn’t been with the Club for long when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.  

“We really had to think on our feet. We had to come up with new ways of doing things, practically overnight,” he recounts. “We adjusted every aspect of our operations: food distribution, financial support, delivery — the whole nine yards — to reach children in schools and community organizations across the country.” 

An emergency fund was set up to provide direct grants and support families who were the hardest hit by this unprecedented national and international crisis.  

“But that’s when the Club really proved its mettle. In three short months, we went from helping 250,000 children on a daily basis to over 683,000. It just goes to show that when you pull together, there’s no telling what you can accomplish,” he says.  

Collective action, collective strength  

Over the past five years, Breakfast Club of Canada has shown a level of resilience that few could ever match. Despite numerous economic and social challenges — the pandemic, inflation, global conflicts, rising operating costs and problems faced by some of the Club’s partners — the organization has never strayed from its mission. “We are still in the thick of it, right alongside our fellow players in this ecosystem,” Tommy says. “We are as steadfast in our commitment as ever.” It is this determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with communities across Canada that fuels the Club’s efforts to transform the lives of children in need.  

Making a difference today, changing the world tomorrow  

Tommy knows that employees and volunteers are the heart and soul of Breakfast Club of Canada. “Nobody works for the Club. They’re part of the Club. It’s a calling. A conviction. Whatever their job is, they know they are having a positive and enduring impact on young lives.” 

“When I look into the eyes of these kids and I see all the hope that’s in there, it fills me to the brim with pride. And it’s reassuring to know there are so many good-hearted people out there stepping up to make sure no child is left behind.” 

Tommy dream’s is clear: “One day, every child in Canada, no matter where they live, will have access to a nutritious breakfast every day so they can grow, learn and achieve their full potential. If we can make that happen, we will have succeeded in building a fairer and kinder society for everyone.”