BREAKFAST CLUB OF CANADA SETS UP AN EMERGENCY FUND TO REACH OUT TO CHILDREN ACROSS THE COUNTRY

At least $5 million required to meet the needs of Canadian children quickly and efficiently  

Montreal, March 20, 2020 – Backed by its network of corporate partners, Breakfast Club of Canada is setting up an emergency fund to support breakfast program enrollees and local community organizations that assist food-insecure families and children throughout Canada during the COVID-19 crisis.

Some 250,000 students usually depend on the Club and its partners for a healthy breakfast every school morning, but the total number of children and youth across the country affected by food insecurity is actually greater than 1 million. To help minimize the repercussions of this crisis on them, Breakfast Club of Canada is reallocating the funds normally earmarked for schools to high-risk regions and established partners that are already well equipped to serve them.

In order to be able to address the needs of children for as long as possible during the crisis, Breakfast Club of Canada is turning to its corporate partners and the general public for help.

A number of partners have already stepped forward and announced a contribution to the Club’s emergency fund: belairdirect and Intact insurance $500k, Danone $200k and Kellogg Canada $150k. Other partners such as Sodexo – Stop Hunger Foundation also have offered their support.

Anyone who wants to contribute to the emergency fund can do so through the Club’s website.

Breakfast Club of Canada invites community organizations that wish to apply for a special grant to fill out an online application.

The emergency fund will:

• Focus on food-insecure households with children across Canada, including those in Indigenous communities
• Target high-need neighbourhoods
• Be administered in collaboration with respected community organizations that are familiar with and rigorously apply hygiene and sanitation measures associated with handling food as well as the requirements developed by public health authorities to control the spread of COVID-19.

Quotes:

“Right now, we need to do everything we can to honour the pledge we made to children 25 years ago and make sure they get the nutrition they need to grow up healthy. We have built a strong network over time and we will be putting it to work now for their benefit.” – Daniel Germain, President and Founder, Breakfast Club of Canada

“Our front-line staff members and our partners are a tremendous resource for Canadian families during these trying times. More than ever, we need to be able to count on one another so we can deliver on our mission and feed children who are experiencing food insecurity.” – Tommy Kulczyk, Managing Director, Breakfast Club of Canada

“For many Canadians, food insecurity is a daily concern but during a crisis, it’s even more so. We are supporting Breakfast Club of Canada and their new emergency fund to ensure that resources are available to those in need.” – Anne Fortin, Senior Vice President, Direct Distribution, and Chief Marketing Officer, belairdirect and Intact insurance

“We feel that in these challenging times, children in Canada need us more than ever. Together with our employees across Canada, Danone believes that we can use our business as a force for good to help feed hungry children and provide them with an access to healthy food. ” – Dan Magliocco, President of Danone Canada

“As always, through our global Kellogg’s Better Days purpose platform, we help deliver critical nourishment to families when they need it most. We are proud to support the efforts of our longstanding partners, Breakfast Club of Canada, to help ensure Canadian families and children continue to get access to the food they need during this unprecedented time.” – Tony Chow, President, Kellogg Canada Inc.

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 243,500 children and youth in 1,809 schools across the country. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org.

– 30 –

For more information and interview requests:

Nathalie Rochette
Communications Director
Breakfast Club of Canada
nathalie.rochette@breakfastclubcanada.org
1-888-442-1217, ext. 3348
514-404-5660

Justine Plourde
Communications Advisor, Public Relations
Breakfast Club of Canada
justine.plourde@breakfastclubcanada.org
1-888-442-1217, ext. 3369