A Thought For My Little Darlings

A big thank-you to Laetitia Lerond for the lovely message she posted recently on Instagram.

[Translation]

As I was sipping on my cold tea #mumlife watching my little guy at play, I thought back to the kids I was serving breakfast to this time last year. Right before the Easter weekend.

These kids leave home in the morning with an empty stomach. But Breakfast Club of Canada is there at their school to offer them a balanced breakfast before classes start.

That day was a celebration: we were serving up crêpes and every student got an Easter egg on their way out.

They filled me with such joy and energy. It was a beautiful day.

They laughed at my French accent and were fascinated by my swollen belly. They told me their stories. Some even talked me into giving them a second crêpe…

So as I drank my cold tea and watched my little guy entertaining himself, my heart ached for those kids, as I wondered what was on their plate these days.

The Club’s funds are being redistributed to high-risk communities and partners who are well placed to respond to the most pressing needs for food.

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Making Sure Children Are Fed

Founded 26 years ago, Food for Thought is a small nonprofit in Kelowna, British Columbia, doing big things to eliminate hunger, one child at a time. Prior to the current pandemic, they provided breakfast to 1,600 children in 30 schools in Central Okanagan, to which the Club contributes, in addition to a backpack program that allows children to take home food for the weekends.

Now they have merged these initiatives to create food packages to be distributed in over 30 schools. As schools are spread throughout the neighbourhoods, using this network has the advantage of being easy to get to for parents who may not have access to a convenient means of transportation.

Food for Thought is making sure food packages continue to be delivered to each school, so that parents and students can pick up a package each week. With people lining up by 1 p.m., every donation is claimed within minutes. According to the Assistant Superintendent, there have been lots of positive stories. He has received many emails, and there have been parents in tears, as they did not think the food would continue once schools closed.

We cannot thank Food for Thought and their volunteers enough! Your time is invaluable, and we cannot overstate how much good it is doing for children and families.

Schools Tell Us the Difference Our Help Makes

 

Across the country, through the COVID-19 Emergency Fund, Breakfast Club of Canada collaborates with community organizations to ensure children receive the nutrition they need during this crisis. Since schools closed a few weeks ago, the Club rolled up its sleeves to find solutions to reach children. Stay in touch for new stories on our #LocalHeroes!

Your donation can help make a difference – right now.

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Adapting Our Programs To Continue Bringing A Healthy Breakfast To Kids

Following the provincial government’s decision to reopen elementary schools outside Greater Montreal, we have adjusted our approach to comply with public health requirements so that students can still enjoy a healthy breakfast in a nurturing, familiar setting. The changes we have made help ensure that food items can be distributed with minimal preparation and handling.

In Quebec, most schools receive support from Breakfast Club of Canada in the form of food shipped directly to them from our warehouse in Boucherville. With the cooperation of our wonderful partners, we have adapted our approach to bring individually packaged cold breakfasts to be served to every participating classroom. Of the schools who responded to our offer to resume breakfast program operations, 75% have decided to go ahead.

We know there are bound to be some hiccups and we are adjusting as we go. We will ask schools to share their success stories and the challenges they have encountered along the way to help us get ready for the 2020–2021 school year.

For further details on our adapted programs, please see our Toolkit – Breakfast Program Adapted to COVID-19 Protocols at the School’s Corner section of our website.