YOUR BREAKFAST PROGRAM… IN 5 QUESTIONS!

Man and children wearing masks while holding green compost buckets

Des Grands-Êtres elementary school in Montreal has put a planet-friendly spin on how they run their breakfast program. Mario Cloutier is the school’s drama teacher. Here, he talks to us about the impact of this environmental mindset and shares how important the breakfast program is to the student population.

 

“I’m the teacher in charge of the Green (Environment) Committee at Des Grands-Êtres elementary school. Below is an overview of what drives our school team to contribute to this initiative.

Students are excellent agents of change, whether it’s through setting up projects to protect the environment or supporting a sustainable initiative in the local community. I hope my answers to these five questions will give you a good idea of what we’re doing here!”

Mario Cloutier, drama teacher

 

What about your breakfast program are you particularly proud of?

Three or four years ago, we introduced a school-wide composting program. We have even put together a “green squad,” made up of Grade 6 students, who are responsible for emptying out the composting bins and putting them back every day.

What advice would you give to other schools who have green ambitions?

Kids are our future, and the environment should be one of the most important priorities for anyone who works with them. It takes a generation to create new behaviours. So today’s students are the ones who will eventually lead real and lasting change.

How has your breakfast program affected school spirit?

The breakfast program is essential to the development of our kids. It helps improve their learning conditions by making sure they have access to healthy snacks.

What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever heard someone say about your breakfast program?

Everyone has their favourites when it comes to the food that is served. Some are “the best.” Others… not so much. So sometimes we hear things like, “Oh, no. Not that again!” But we can also hear an excited, “Awesome! I love this!”

If you could invite someone famous to breakfast at your school, who would it be and why?

Greta Thunberg, to make our students feel even more inspired to take care of their environment. Or (even if they’re not exactly famous) the CEO of a company who’d be willing to build us a green roof!

Adapting Programs To Continue Bringing A Healthy Breakfast To Kids!

child sitting at desk with an apple

 

We are proud to lend our support and expertise to schools as they adapt their breakfast programs in line with public health protocols. We hope this will enable schools across the country to continue making a healthy morning meal available to students in a nourishing and comforting environment.

 

Here are a few ideas and recommendations other schools and programs have shared:

  • Allow additional time for planning, preparation, monitoring and cleaning.
  • Focus on food that comes individually packaged or portion it out and wrap it in advance.
  • Various recommendations have been developed for each program delivery model (grab & go, classroom bin or cafeteria/sit-down), all of which comply with applicable protocols and help minimize food handling.
  • Compliance with hygiene and safety measures and health guidelines issued by your provincial government and school administration is essential to the operation of a breakfast program in the context of COVID-19.
  • Handwashing for all is required before and after students eat.
  • All tables and desks used for the program should be disinfected after breakfast using a proper sanitizing solution. Bins, dishes and any reusable utensils should be cleaned daily.
  • Tongs must be used to help safely distribute food to students.

If there’s one thing that’s for certain, it’s that Breakfast Club of Canada will continue to be there for children, no matter where they are. After all, food insecurity is something that knows no bounds.

Learn more about our Breakfast Program Adapted to COVID-19 Protocols by consulting our Toolkit for schools!

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Breakfast Club Volunteering: A Family Affair

Child smiling into camera

Last year was a biggie for our family: our only son, Cameron, started full-time Pre-K at St. Jude Elementary on the South Shore of Montreal. The bean adjusted beautifully and made friends with his little classmates, but it wasn’t until we decided to start volunteering for our school’s Breakfast Club that we really found ourselves becoming attached to our school.

It started as a one-morning thing, just to try it out. I’d wanted to find a way to volunteer at my son’s school, hopefully with him, so he could give back a little. And, given we were morning people, serving breakfast seemed like the perfect activity.

Meeting extraordinary people

When we arrived, we saw who was running the program: five selfless women, all with grown children who were no longer in elementary school, as well as a few teenagers, who together were feeding almost 200 kids. One of the adult volunteers was in her eighties, standing on her feet (by choice) to serve the juice and milk. There was another woman who kept the breakfast bin-filling – for the children who arrived just in time for school and ate in their classroom – right on schedule, and she always had an amazing group of older Grade 6 volunteers, who came into school early to help. There was even a teenager who was in high school and had attended our school a few years prior – he came to St. Jude as often as he could to help with Breakfast Club before catching his bus to start his busy day at Centennial High School. The program was spearheaded by yet another selfless woman, who had been at the heart of the school for decades. All of these incredible people made it possible for so many kids to start off their days with a healthy, filling breakfast (not to mention the smiles they received as they conversed with the volunteers they had all grown to love).

By getting involved, everyone wins … Especially us!

We were hooked. Even though we were late in the school year (it was April), for three months we went to Breakfast Club every morning. My son gained tremendous confidence getting to know the kids at his school, particularly the older ones he began to befriend, and I loved the hugs and smiles I got every morning as we handed out yogurt, fruit, bagels, eggs, pancakes, and more. This summer, all we talked about was how much we missed Breakfast Club, and we have loved being a part of the group again this school year.

Cameron, 5 years old

Breakfast Club also got my son excited to give back in other ways by getting involved in different philanthropic activities, such as fundraising for a few causes that are important to him, and signing petitions to help save his favourite animals: sharks! Keep in mind, Cameron is only five years old. It just goes to show that there is no age limit to giving back!

Children helping other children

Breakfast Club is so special to us. It gave us a way to give back to our school, and to feel connected to our student body as well as the teachers and staff. And it sparked something within my son to give to others, to find even small ways to help those in need and become active in our community. And nothing feels better than giving kids a great start to their day.

The other morning a child asked Cameron, “Why are you always working here?” And he replied, “I’m not working. This isn’t work. I’m helping. It’s important to help.” To which the child replied, “Can I help too?”  Kids inspiring kids… isn’t that what it’s all about?

Jennifer Cox

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Volunteering and families often go hand in hand. Click here to read another touching story!

Do you want to do your part for the Club?
To learn more about volunteering at a school, click here.
To learn more about different ways to give, click here.
Remember: $ 3 = 1 breakfast. All donations make a difference!

Do you have an inspiring story about the Club that you would like to share?
Write us here! We want to hear from you!

Volunteering Knows No Age Limit

3 elderly folk posing for a picture

 

A while back, we shared Cameron’s story, a 5-year-old boy who regularly volunteers with his mom. In the article, Cameron’s mom explained how volunteering helped her son gain tremendous confidence.

Caroline Soucy, Breakfast Club of Canada’s Senior Coordinator, is delighted to work alongside these volunteers who rise above their age to further a cause they care deeply about.

One morning, at Bruno-Choquette School’s breakfast program, Caroline was washing dishes with 70-year-old Madame Pauline, a volunteer of 8 years. Madame Pauline was telling her how volunteering and seeing children contributed so much to her well-being.

In Madame Pauline’s words: “They’re polite and say thank you and please. It’s very heartening for us seniors. Yesterday, I was helping a centenarian, and this morning, I’m surrounded by 5-year-olds. It’s quite the contrast!”

Madame Pauline isn’t alone – she also volunteers with Madame Fernande. The two knew each other even before becoming Club volunteers in 2011. Their favourite routine is going out for breakfast together after their shift.

Then there’s Monsieur Roger – he was a new retiree when he started volunteering. He decided to get involved with the Club to fight boredom and feel useful. He’s proud to say that, in all, he hasn’t missed more than 7 days since starting his adventure back in 2004!

Between the three (Madame Pauline, 70, Madame Fernande, 77, and Madame Roger, 84), they have 231 years of experience and 31 as volunteers!

Thank you to these three exceptional volunteers who wake up early in the morning eager to make a daily difference in the lives of our program’s children!

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Do you want to do your part for the Club?
To learn more about volunteering at a school, click here.
To learn more about different ways to give, click here.
Remember: All donations make a difference!

Do you have an inspiring story about the Club that you would like to share? 
Write us here! We want to hear from you!

Zacharie: One Year Later

Women and teen smiling at camera

 

Did you know that, at Du Parc School, a student on the autism spectrum, Zacharie, is part of the breakfast program volunteer crew? Through his involvement, he learns ways to be more self-sufficient, make the most of his potential and experience the satisfaction of a job well done.

Here’s his testimonial:

Hi, my name is Zacharie.

A little over a year ago, I shared my journey as a child living with an autism spectrum disorder.

Do you remember my story? It started when I became part of a breakfast program. I even became a volunteer because I missed my friends so much.

I’m still at the high school and guess what? The program is still part of my life four years later.

I really enjoy volunteering, so much so that the experience leaves me feeling happy for days.

My mom says that I interact well with children and that I’m a great help.

I realize that the program has taught me to become more self-sufficient, not just at school, but also in my day-to-day life since I gained more confidence in my own abilities.

I can now operate my dad’s shovel loader.

I never thought I’d be able to do that before.

I shovel the house steps… without anyone asking!

These may be small things, but for me, they are great accomplishments!

I almost forgot… I even eat white cheddar cheese, cheese curds and white chicken chunks now.

I can’t wait to get back to the program!

A big thank you to Zacharie and his mother for sharing this beautiful testimony!

 

Meet Linda: The Head Volunteer With A Heart Of Gold… For 13 Years And Counting!

 

When she agreed to become the head volunteer for her school’s breakfast program 13 years ago, Linda didn’t have the foggiest notion of the long adventure that lay ahead. At the time, she was a member of the school’s governing board, which is why the principal approached her about taking over the reins of the breakfast program.

In this capacity, Linda supervises a team of volunteers so that breakfast gets served every morning without fail and the program runs smoothly and efficiently.

“Routine is important. So are organization and proper storage. A place for everything and everything in its place!”

She takes her role as head volunteer very seriously. She sees it as an opportunity to give back to the community and to build relationships with other volunteers.

“We actually do things together outside of the school. It’s such a great team!”

If you ask her to describe what makes a good volunteer, Linda will tell you it’s someone who is kind, caring and sensitive enough to “manage” all the kids that come in hungry in the morning.

As Linda explains so well, there are plenty of reasons why parents sign their children up with their school’s breakfast program:

“Lots of parents have to get to work early. With us, their kids can eat breakfast later, take it easy and hang out with their pals!”

Not only is the program a great help for time-crunched moms and dads, but the 149 students who use the service also get the chance to eat together, make friends and enjoy special moments as a group, like when everyone joins in to sing happy birthday to someone.

When asked to describe some of her experiences, Linda shared this with us:

“Three children from the same family were enrolled in the program. When they first started, they weren’t particularly cooperative. They actually had a reputation for being ‘difficult.’ But as the year went on, they started to mellow and their behaviour improved. I’m sure the relationship we built with them helped and had an impact on other aspects of their life, like how they did at school.”

Linda sometimes bumps into her young charges outside of the breakfast program environment – out shopping for groceries, for example: “When they see us volunteers, some kids run over and give us a big hug – to the great surprise of their parents, who don’t necessarily know who we are!”

And Linda is already starting to have an impact on a second generation of grateful kids.

“A couple of times, I’ve served the children of people who used to come to the breakfast program every morning.”

She notices that the number of registrations goes up as the school year progresses.

“There’s no reason to turn any child down. Everyone is welcome!”

For Linda, seeing happy, smiling and well-fed children every morning is definitely one of the most rewarding parts of the whole experience.

Thank you, Linda, for making a difference in the lives of so many youngsters for the past 13 years!

Grandma Power!

Grandma with children

 

“Mamou Joanne, guess what? It’s my birthday today!”

Behind the counter, the volunteer smiled, turned around to grab a carrot muffin baked specially for the occasion and handed it to the beaming birthday boy, who was tickled pink that Mamou Joanne remembered.

It was just another morning for the grandmother/volunteer but one where she made yet another child feel important.

Mamou Joanne, aka Joanne Morin, has been volunteering with the breakfast program at Lionel-Groulx School for a year now and has been the site coordinator since the start of the school year. Giving back to the community is a long, proud tradition for Joanne and her children. (As you know, volunteering knows no age limit at the Club!) Lionel-Groulx School is actually where the whole Breakfast Club of Canada adventure began 25 years ago. And if anyone is going to celebrate this milestone anniversary, it’s certainly going to be Joanne!

When she talks about her experience as a volunteer, the joy she feels at being a part of school life and the broader community shines through. In addition to her duties at the Club, she is also involved in several other local organizations. Now that’s someone with tons of energy and spirit to burn. Quite the inspiration, our Mamou Joanne!

Before she retired, she worked as a cook, making her the perfect choice for this assignment, which means the world to her. Plus, she lives right across the street from the school, so all she has to do is take a few steps and she’s there to welcome the morning crowd. Her daughter often comes in to help because, after all, the Club is a family affair! By 9 a.m., Joanne goes back to her house for a nap and then gets lunch ready for her grandchildren and a few of their friends, whenever their parents need a helping hand. It’s like a mini-Club right in her kitchen!

Every day, Joanne has a front-row seat to see students’ joyful reactions to getting together before classes begin in the morning. They talk (a lot!) and they laugh (a lot!) as they eat. “It’s such a lovely way to get the day started,” said Joanne. “And it makes life so much easier for parents. They know their kids are getting a good meal and don’t have to rush.”

Mamou Joanne is as much a part of the Lionel-Groulx School team as any of the teaching or support staff. Because she interacts with the kids a little differently, she can sometimes catch problems nobody else can. She can tell when something’s wrong – and she can refer children directly to a staff member as necessary. Joanne is there to listen to them, reassure them, explain things to them and encourage them to look at things from another angle – as only a grandma can. Which is why they all affectionately call her “Mamou.” They can tell that Mamou Joanne is there to watch out for them.

It looks like the old adage has proved true once again: it really does take a village to raise a child. Thank you, Mamou Joanne, for being part of our village!

 

Inspiring Stories!

Little girl blowing on a pinwheel

 

From coast to coast, in every province and territory, dedicated parents, volunteers, and school staff get up early each morning to make a huge impact in the day of these students by providing them with equal opportunities to succeed. The following stories are just a few of the wonderful testimonials to the power of breakfast programs in the schools. We hope you’ll find these stories as impactful and touching as we do.

Emily, student, James Park Elementary School, British Columbia

Hi, my name’s Emily and I’m a Grade 5 student from British Columbia. My dad actually got me into Breakfast Club because he started volunteering, so I went with him and learned how to do all the cool things that the Breakfast Club needs. Like pouring water, making pizza buns… making all the things on the menu (laughs)! That was three years ago and I still volunteer every day because I love serving the other kids, and now my mom comes also so it’s my dad, my mom, and me, so it’s something fun we do as a family.

Lots of kids come with their families so it makes me really happy to see everyone enjoying the food. I’ve gotten to know a bunch of adults who used to be strangers, and now I also am friends with their kids because of that! Kids are getting to know each other better, and lots more people come to school early now so they can join the program, so it’s really fun. Sometime even the principal and teachers eat with us and that makes us happy. We get to know them in a different way and I’ve learned some things about the adults that I wouldn’t have learned if we just saw each other in class.

School Administrator, Johnny Therriault Memorial School, Aroland First Nation, Ontario

Our Breakfast program is as much about serving nutritious food as it is a social event. Without a doubt, our program improves the mental and psycho-social well-being of our students. From time to time we have new students in an unfamiliar school and community, and they are often very cautious, reluctant, shy and introverted. However, as these students begin to settle in, the breakfast program helps them form new friendships. One specific student who was a Tikinagan child, enrolled in our school in Grade 5. She was extremely shy and hardly spoke. She was very hesitant to participate in the breakfast program, fearful to even enter the gymnasium where the program takes place. After some support and words of encouragement from staff, she slowly started to come into the program, eat with her fellow classmates, smile and socialize. It was wonderful to see her smile, talking and socializing with her classmates after only two weeks of coming to our school.

Stéphanie Riedyk, Breakfast Program Supervisor, École La Mosaïque, Alberta

Our school is multicultural school, where students develop new tastes related to the Canada Food Guide. Parents really value what our program offers their kids. One father told me, “this program is a blessing for modest families like ours, who do not necessarily have the means to offer a complete meal to our children and especially the time necessary to do it early in the morning. We are infinitely grateful to you”. What we really love is when the children come to tell us after each breakfast “Mrs. Stephanie, I really liked this meal. Thank you very much, what are we eating tomorrow?” You can not know how happy I am to see the glowing eyes of these little children happy to have eaten well.

LaSalle Elementary Junior School, Quebec

Conversation with Mrs. Donna, Integration Aid

Donna: I go outside at recess with the kids and there’s this one little child who is always in trouble, never listens, you always hear his name being called to come here, stop that, or get down from there. Since stating breakfast late last year, that’s all stopped. Now he comes in, has his breakfast…he’s the happiest little boy.

Club: What do you think it is about breakfast club that helps him the most? The full belly? The social aspect?

Donna: A bit of both. And just having a calm moment to start the day, the calm music really helps. I am so happy with this child. What a good feeling – and what a good feeling for him.

Conversation Mrs. Julia, Teacher

Julia: I love volunteering at breakfast club because I get to interact with the kids so early in the morning. Some of them come in a bit sad so I make them happy by just talking to them.

Club: How is it different than in the classroom?

Julia: Because it’s one on one here. You’re not their teacher so you can have conversations and joke with them. Some of them just need a little hello to make their day and that’s important to me.

In fact, during the interview, Mrs Julia got to demonstrate this when a student came in and said he had put his tooth under his pillow last night, but the tooth fairy didn’t come. Mrs. Julia made a big deal of his missing tooth, congratulated him on losing it and made him feel special.

Conversation with the kids

Club: What’s your favorite thing you get at breakfast club?

Student: Bagels! When we first went in breakfast club our first day we saw bagels! Its soooooo good! I wish we had bagels everyday! (is tomorrow bagel day?)

Other students: Grilled cheese! We love grilled cheese!

Club: so this must be your favorite day!

Students: yes! It’s the best!

Club: I see there’s a lot of people working very hard to make your favorite breakfast!

Student: I was here this morning and I saw Mrs Donna make all this.

Club: I saw when you came in before you gave Mrs Donna a big hug? She’s special….

Student: I love her she’s my favorite! She used to be in my class last year.

Club: it must be fun that you get to have breakfast with her every day now!

Student: Yah!

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Volunteering At A Breakfast Program: An Experience Open To Everyone!

Volunteers sitting in a line with flowers and baloons

 

As we celebrate International Volunteer Day, Breakfast Club of Canada would like to thank the 17,500 adult volunteers and 10,300 youth volunteers who rise and shine every morning to get a good healthy breakfast ready for 240,000 students in 1,809 schools across the country. For the past 25 years, you have been the driving force behind the success of our mission. Without you, the Club’s nation-wide network of breakfast programs would not exist.

Today, we’d like to shine the spotlight on the work done by the members of the Association des personnes handicapées de Chibougamau-Chapais (APHCC). APHCC Executive Director Lynda Bubar explains: “As part of the association’s fight against poverty and marginalization, we developed a pilot project in November 2010 to serve breakfast and lunch at La Porte-du-Nord, a local high school.”

For this initiative, the cafeteria uses the services of people with intellectual and/or physical disabilities. This gives them an opportunity to work in a stable, well-supervised environment suited to their individual needs. As a result, they are less socially isolated and feel like they belong to a unified community. As everyone gets better acquainted, the differences between them become less apparent, and individual gifts and talents shine through. The students are respectful, and volunteers with disabilities enjoy the important role they play in the school.

Routines and tasks are planned around volunteers’ capacities, their ability to learn and even their specific personalities. They can therefore progress at their own pace, take on new challenges and become more confident. Once they have reached a certain level of comfort in their activities, the APHCC then gradually increases the degree of difficulty. They can also use the opportunity to gain personal and job-related skills.

Bubar explains that the work experience is appealing and enriching. Not only is it a stable source of nutrition for both students and volunteers, but it also provides an environment that is mindful of varying aptitudes and needs. Plus, it makes people with disabilities feel valued and needed. These are all meaningful benefits. As a result of their involvement, the volunteers have become active, engaged members of their community. They are also instrumental in helping people understand and appreciate individual differences. It is a wonderful example of a hands-on awareness and education program in action – and a great opportunity to bring more visibility to people living with disabilities.

The impacts of the project are tangible. Volunteers find the experience rewarding at a personal level. For others, it helps them maintain an emotional balance. And many of them say that it fills a fundamental need of feeling like they’re part of a family.

Thinking back, one volunteer stands out in Bubar’s mind. “Diane, who had severe physical limitations, volunteered with the breakfast program for five whole years. She’d show up for her shift without fail, always on time and always ready to work. She took her role very seriously. Everyone on the team and all of the students loved her. And she got a lot out of it in terms of self-esteem.”

“The relationship between students and the APHCC team is very important,” added Bubar. “We are very lucky to be able to serve a healthy breakfast every morning in such a friendly, inclusive environment. This endeavour has made it possible for the team, volunteers, job readiness program participants and, of course, students to become more caring, compassionate people. It’s very heartwarming to see.”

Thank you to all APHCC volunteers for making their community a better place!

Successful Initiatives To Reach More Students!

Little girl smiling and enjoying her breakfast of grapes bread and eggs

This month, we are putting a spotlight on the breakfast program at Central Community School in Port Coquitlam, BC. Central Community School has been a part of the Breakfast Club of Canada family since 2015. The program started off small – serving an average of 20 to 25 students out of a school population of 300+.

Last year, the principal and breakfast coordinator made a conscious decision to increase engagement with the breakfast program and reach more students. There were a number of factors that contributed to the success of this initiative.

  1. Instead of serving breakfast out of the kitchen, breakfast is now served in the gym. This new location provides a larger, welcoming environment and enough space for students, parents and staff to congregate, have a bite to eat and connect in the morning before school starts.
  2. The site coordinator often communicates with other breakfast coordinators that run bustling programs in the district. They discuss best practices and use one another as sounding boards for new ideas.
  3. They have leveraged their breakfast program as an opportunity to engage with their local community: one morning, the Port Coquitlam fire department hosted a school-wide pancake breakfast!

Most importantly, the staff at Central Community acknowledge that a successful breakfast program requires a team effort. The program is supported by numerous teachers, youth workers, educational assistants, parent volunteers, student volunteers from the neighbouring high school and the principal. The program now feeds 90 to 100 students each morning!

Thank you, Central Community, for allowing us to be a part of your exciting journey!