At Breakfast Club of Canada, we are committed to providing 21,010 students with a wholesome, well-rounded meal every morning to get their school day off to a good start.

Today, we’d like to take a closer look at the many benefits, nutritional and otherwise, of Quebec-grown apples.

A superfood that’s super good!

• The average apple contains 86% water – and only 70 calories.
• Apples are rich in fibre, which help in absorbing their natural sugars and make you feel like you are full.
• The apples grown in Quebec are red, which means they have more antioxidants and are great for your cardiovascular health.

And apples are conveniently packaged (naturally), making them the perfect addition to any lunch box.

So many ways to enjoy…

Biting into a fresh apple is a treat in and of itself, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a better fruit for baking. It’s a huge source of inspiration for our volunteers who love to whip up breakfast cookies, crumbles and other apple-rific recipes!

250,000+ apples for kids across Quebec

Thanks to the tremendous generosity of our partners at Pommes Qualité Québec (representing Les Producteurs de pommes du Québec and the Association des emballeurs de pommes du Québec), our kids can enjoy this amazing fruit all year round.

Since 2002, Pommes Qualité Québec has donated thousands of apples to our young breakfast program participants. For a better idea of what this collaboration entails, be sure to watch this video of an apple’s journey from the orchard to the breakfast table (only available un French):

PRO TIP: The best place to keep apples is in your fridge’s fruit compartment, loose or in their original packaging. Either way, they’ll stay crisp and delicious longer. (Remember that an apple at room temperature gets softer 10 times faster!)

We are lucky to have lots of partners who contribute in their own way to making the back-to-school period easier for everyone. This time of year is a very demanding one, not only for parents and teachers, but also for our teams here at the Club, who are working hard to make sure that more than 243,000 children across Canada will be starting every school day with a good, healthy meal.

Fortunately, many of our dedicated partners have already raised their hand to let us know they’ll be helping out. For the past 17 years, Walmart has faithfully encouraged associates from their 408 stores across the country to do their part to make this yearly fundraiser a success. And it only makes sense that they would want to support our breakfast programs: we give children the energy to do well in school and enable volunteers of all ages to acquire valuable leadership skills.

Once again this year, Walmart is inviting their customers to show their support for their community while they get settled into their school routines by donating to Breakfast Club of Canada.

This year has a particular significance, as we hope to reach a milestone of $50 million raised for Breakfast Club of Canada. You can play a part in supporting children’s health and education: stop by a Walmart and donate!

You can also give online right here.

Thank you for nourishing children’s potential!

In December 2019, Restaurants Normandin offered a unique opportunity to two BCC student volunteers as a reward for their involvement in their school breakfast program. This was one of “50 Good Deeds” undertaken by the Quebec chain which, like the Club, is celebrating a milestone anniversary this year.

Secondary 2 students Dorothée and Jasmine were the ones chosen for the experience, not only because of their commitment to Breakfast Club of Canada but also in recognition of their overall community engagement.

Upon their arrival at the Bouvier Street location in Quebec City, Dorothée and Jasmine were given a tour of the bustling kitchen, staffed by over 100 employees, and then invited to create their own pizza. They kneaded the dough and tossed it in the air, with some rather amusing results, picked their toppings from an almost endless selection and cooked it up in the massive pizza oven. They put a painstaking amount of effort into making the final result as close to perfect as they could. The pair were then put on hostessing duty, where they did an exceptional job showing patrons to their table and managing the various logistical considerations that come with the job. Customers were delighted to be part of the experience and had nothing but glowing comments about their performance. Last but certainly not least, Dorothée and Jasmine dug into their pizza while they chatted with members of the Normandin marketing team.

They left with a complimentary pizza pan and two frozen Normandin pizzas. Both said they enjoyed themselves immensely and were happy with everything they learned. They also had the satisfaction of applying some of their newfound knowledge to their breakfast program upon their return to school.

This marks the end of the back-to-school campaign at Normandin that ran throughout the month of September, after which a cheque for over $28,000 was presented to the Club. The team is eager to repeat the experience in 2020. Thank you to everyone at Normandin for your wonderful contributions over the past 13 years.

 

Behind the scenes at Goodfood is a team of big-hearted entrepreneurs. They have partnered with the Club since 2017, donating more than $153,000 to date. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. For nearly three years, a group of Goodfood employees has been volunteering every week at a school in the Saint-Henri district of Montreal to prepare and serve breakfast.

Goodfood CEO Jonathan Ferrari was kind enough to answer some of our questions at one of these weekly volunteering gigs. Here is what he had to say.

Why is Breakfast Club of Canada a cause you feel strongly about?

In Canada alone, hundreds of thousands of children go to school every morning without breakfast. At Goodfood, we’re committed to the well-being of all Canadians, and this starts with food accessibility.

Early on, my fellow co-founders, Neil Cuggy and Raffi Krikorian, and I decided to partner with an organization that shared these values and gave back to the local community. Breakfast Club of Canada was a natural fit.

For every box purchased, Goodfood contributes to a nutritious meal to a child in need in a school located within a community we serve. A nutritious breakfast has a significant impact on a child’s ability to focus in class and gives them the fuel to achieve their dreams.

“We believe that every Canadian should have access to nutritious and tasty meals, which is why we personally volunteer at Breakfast Club of Canada and why we encourage our team to do the same.”

Why is it important for you to volunteer?

We believe that every Canadian should have access to nutritious and tasty meals, which is why we personally volunteer at Breakfast Club of Canada and why we encourage our team to do the same.

Volunteering gives us an opportunity to give back and connects us to a cause that is close to our hearts. It unites us in a common goal and a shared experience, fosters personal development and brings us together as a community.

“Volunteering with Breakfast Club of Canada is an incredible, transformative experience that I would recommend to anyone. From the relationships with the coordinator to the available activities to the balanced breakfast shared with peers, you can see the positive effect that the program has on the kids.”

What has really hit home for you over the past two years of volunteering with the Club?

Volunteering with Breakfast Club of Canada is an incredible, transformative experience that I would recommend to anyone. From the relationships with the coordinator to the available activities to the balanced breakfast shared with peers, you can see the positive effect that the program has on the kids.

There’s really nothing quite like seeing the smile on a child’s face when they grab a tray full of healthy cereal, fresh fruit and yogurt and go sit with their friends to have a good time before the school day begins.

“The volunteering program has been a resounding success and helped bring further awareness to the issue by connecting the Goodfood team to the cause.”

Why is it important for you to see your employees give back to a cause?

We’ve been rolling up our sleeves (myself and the other co-founders included) and helping out in the kitchen preparing and serving healthy breakfast options at local school breakfast programs for a few years now. We feel that it’s important to lead by example to encourage our team to get involved in this incredibly rewarding experience.

The volunteering program has been a resounding success and helped bring further awareness to the issue by connecting the Goodfood team to the cause.

What would you say to other companies who are thinking about getting involved with BCC?

Even the smallest action can have a positive impact on someone’s life. This year, take a bit of time out of your regular morning routine to spread some positivity and joy in the form of granola, yogurt and orange slices (or any of the other delicious options served up!).

We encourage you to get involved with Breakfast Club of Canada and make a difference in your local community — one balanced breakfast at a time.

Thank you, Goodfood, for giving back to children across Canada!