Boucherville – September 22nd, 2022 – Today, Breakfast Club of Canada is launching an ambitious back-to-school fundraising campaign in partnership with Walmart Canada to raise money to help advance the Club’s mission and get closer to the ultimate goal: breakfast for every child, every day.
With food, transport and the overall cost of living getting increasingly expensive, breakfast programs are becoming more costly to sustain. These steep cost increases are having a significant impact on the Club’s operations and, the school nutrition ecosystem is now even more reliant on individual and corporate contributions.
Walmart is inviting its customers to participate in this year’s campaign from September 22 to October 14 by donating at the checkout in-store and online on Walmart.ca. The retailer will also generously contribute an additional million to school breakfast programs in communities across Canada. Walmart Canada is Breakfast Club of Canada’s largest corporate partner with more than 400 stores across the country and more than 100,000 associates supporting the cause from coast-to-coast-to-coast.
“With sky-high inflation, Canadian families are struggling more than ever to make ends meet,” said Paul Lethbridge, Director, Corporate & Community Giving at Breakfast Club of Canada. “Every year, Walmart Canada’s associates and customers rally around our mission to help us serve millions of nutritious morning meals to kids across the country. We’re very grateful for Walmart’s unwavering support.”
The Club and its partners such as Walmart continue to raise awareness about the importance of access to nutritious food for children while continuing to reach a considerable number of students that have benefitted from these programs over the past few years. Breakfast Club of Canada is a unifying force for partners, schools and individual donors to ensure that children have access to healthy food throughout the school year. But it can only do so with a strong network and generous support.
For the past 20 years, Walmart Canada has worked with Breakfast Club of Canada, raising more than million. This long-lasting partnership is a major support for the Club and its over 3,500 school nutrition programs across the country which help reach over 580,000 children each morning.
”We are absolutely committed to delivering on our mission to help families live better. This is even more vital during these challenging economic times where it’s become more difficult for people to provide for their families,” said Rob Nicol, Vice President, Communications and Corporate Affairs at Walmart Canada. “Together, with Breakfast Club of Canada, we are helping ensure more children can eat nutritious breakfasts, so they are fueled to learn.”
To learn more and donate to the campaign:
Breakfast Club of Canada’s Back-to-School Campaign
About Breakfast Club of Canada
Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized by Aliments du Québec for its promotion of local food products, the Club helps reach more than 500,000 children in over 3,000 programs in academic and community settings across the country. The ultimate goal: breakfast for every child, every day. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About Walmart Canada
Walmart Canada operates a chain of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada’s flagship online store, Walmart.ca is visited 1.5 million customers daily. With more than 100,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada’s largest employers and is ranked one of the country’s top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada was recently recognized as a LinkedIn Top Company of 2022 and was also named one of Canada’s most popular brands (based on Google searches). Walmart Canada’s extensive philanthropy program is focused on supporting Canadian families in need, and since 1994 Walmart Canada has raised and donated more than 0 million to Canadian charities. Additional information can be found at walmartcanada.ca, facebook.com/walmartcanada and at twitter.com/walmartcanada.
Media Contact
For more information and to schedule interviews with Breakfast Club of Canada or Walmart spokespeople, please contact:
Julie Hauville
Media Relations, Breakfast Club of Canada
julie.hauville@breakfastclubcanada.org
Felicia Fefer
Corporate Affairs, Walmart Canada
Boucherville– October 14th, 2022
As the Back-to-School season is ending and students are back in the classroom, Staples Canada just finished its annual fundraiser. Thanks to the dedication of their associates and customers, Staples raised 8,571 to help maintain breakfast programs from coast to coast.
“Thanks to partners like Staples/Bureau en Gros, Breakfast Club of Canada makes it possible for children to start their school day with an equal chance.” highlights Tommy Kulczyk President & CEO of Breakfast Club of Canada. “Education and health, especially for children, are core values for Staples/Bureau en Gros and this fundraising campaign is a strong asset in the Club’s mission to bring awareness about student nutrition, especially when we know that learning is easier on a full stomach ”
With inflation currently at a multi-decade high, the cost of food, transportation and living are rising, and Breakfast Club of Canada will struggle to maintain its support to existing school nutrition programs this year.
All managers and associates in the participating Staples Canada and Bureau en Gros stores across Quebec and the Atlantic provinces joined forces to contribute to the campaign. From August 7th to September 11th, they encouraged customers to donate by bringing awareness with one goal in mind: breakfast for every child, every day.
“At Staples, we believe that the back-to-school season should be a time of excitement and wonder. However, we know that this is not the case for all parents, teachers, and students as they struggle to provide children with the resources to help support a successful school year,” said Wanda Walkden, Chief Human Resources and Communications Officer, Staples Canada. “As Canada’s Back to School Destination, the School Supply Drive, which just wrapped up another successful fundraising campaign, allowed our stores to team up with charitable partners, like Breakfast Clubs of Canada, helping make a sizable, tangible impact in the Quebec and Atlantic Canada markets supporting communities where we live and work, empowering learning and growth for the year ahead.”
To find out more on how to donate to Breakfast Club of Canada’s back-to-school efforts, visit https://www.breakfastclubcanada.org/bts2022/
About Breakfast Club of Canada
Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized by Aliments du Québec for its promotion of local food products, the Club helps reach more than 580 000 children in over 3,500 programs in academic and community settings across the country. The ultimate goal: breakfast for every child, every day. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About Staples Canada
Staples Canada is The Working and Learning Company. With a focus on community, inspiration and services, the privately-owned company is committed to being a dynamic, inspiring partner to customers who visit its over 300 locations and staples.ca. The company has two brands that support business customers, Staples Preferred for small businesses and Staples Professional for medium to large-sized enterprises, as well as five co-working facilities in Toronto, Kelowna, Oakville and Ottawa under the banner Staples Studio. Staples Canada is a proud partner of MAP through its Even the Odds campaign, which aims to tackle inequities in communities across Canada and helps make a future that’s fair for everyone. Visit staples.ca for more information or get social with @StaplesCanada on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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Media Contact
For more information and to schedule interviews with Breakfast Club of Canada spokespeople, please contact:
Julie Hauville
Media Relations, Breakfast Club of Canada
julie.hauville@breakfastclubcanada.org
Pamela Kennedy (She/Her)
Manager, PR and Communications, Staples Canada
Phone: (905) 737-1147 ext. 578
Pamela.Kennedy@staples.ca
Boucherville – November 18th, 2022 –
Breakfast Club of Canada is pleased to announce the appointment of Celina Stoyles to its Board of Directors. Born in downtown St. John’s, Newfoundland, Celina Stoyles, comes with an impressive experience of management and leadership skills. She is the Executive Director of Kids Eat Smart Foundation Newfoundland & Labrador and is the Club’s first Board member at the community level. Her understanding of health and wellness in children and youth, along with her volunteer knowledge and her extensive 22 years of experience with non-profit board management assists Celina in the day-to-day management and operations of the 272 Kids Eat Smart Clubs in Newfoundland.
Fundraising, events planning and non-profit management at all levels offer just a sample of the skills that Celina brings. She will play a key role as the Club continues to work towards its ultimate goal: breakfast for every child, every day. As is the second youngest of a family of 12 who likes cooking, she knows the importance for children to start the day with a healthy meal and have an equal chance to learn.
Celina spent almost 25 years in the hospitality industry and has held senior management positions within the non-profit sector for over 12 years. She currently sits on the Board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Newfoundland and Labrador and holds a Certified Fund-Raising Executive designation. Her expertise and proven track record in the non-profit space will be a tremendous asset to Breakfast Club of Canada.
To learn more about Breakfast Club of Canada’s current Board members: Board of Directors
About Breakfast Club of Canada
Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized by Aliments du Québec for its promotion of local food products, the Club helps reach more than 580 000 children in over 3,500 school nutrition programs across the country. The ultimate goal: breakfast for every child, every day. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Media Contact
For more information, please contact:
Julie Hauville
Media Relations, Breakfast Club of Canada
Boucherville – December 14, 2022 – Breakfast Club of Canada is pleased to announce that Walmart Canada has raised a record .5 million in 2022, allowing the Club to provide 9 million* nutritious morning meals for children and students across Canada. Since 2003, Walmart Canada has worked with Breakfast Club of Canada, donating and raising more than million to help reach more students every day.
This year’s fundraising activities contributed .5 million and included a million corporate donation from Walmart Canada. Customers were invited to donate in-store and online and Walmart associates organized fundraising initiatives to support the Club’s activities to make sure children have an equal chance to learn.
Breakfast Club of Canada has been working tirelessly for the past 28 years and today reaches more than 580,000 children in over 3,500 school nutrition programs throughout Canada each morning. With inflation reducing the ability of individuals and households to afford essential expenses, the demand has increased for essential services provided by various organizations. More than ever, the Club’s operations rely on a dedicated network of partners, such as Walmart Canada to gather resources and bring the organization closer to a goal: breakfast for every child, every day.
“For two decades, Walmart Canada has been a major partner who understands the importance of the work we do to nurture children’s potential through breakfast programs,” highlighted Judith Barry Co-Founder & Government Relations Director. “Their continued commitment to reaching more children across the country and the annual fundraising campaign gives us the chance to reach a large audience and encourage millions of Canadians to support our cause. Breakfast Club of Canada is grateful for the support and the strong relationship built with Walmart over the years.”
“Together with Breakfast Club of Canada, we’ve been making great strides in fighting hunger and ensuring kids are fueled to learn with greater access to nutritious school meals,” said Rob Nicol, Vice President, Communications and Corporate Affairs at Walmart Canada. “We’re proud to partner with Breakfast Club of Canada and we would like to thank our associates and customers for a record-breaking year, for their overwhelming generosity and another fantastic campaign.”
* The Club’s national contribution average is {}.50 per breakfast. For every dollar Walmart, its customers and associates raise, Breakfast Club of Canada can help provide two meals to children.
About Breakfast Club of Canada
Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized by Aliments du Québec for its promotion of local food products, the Club helps reach more than 580,000 children in over 3,500 school nutrition programs across the country. The ultimate goal: breakfast for every child, every day. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About Walmart Canada
Walmart Canada operates a chain of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada’s flagship online store, Walmart.ca is visited 1.5 million customers daily. With more than 100,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada’s largest employers and is ranked one of the country’s top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada was recently recognized as a LinkedIn Top Company of 2022 and was also named one of Canada’s most popular brands (based on Google searches). Walmart Canada’s extensive philanthropy program is focused on supporting Canadian families in need, and since 1994 Walmart Canada has raised and donated more than 0 million to Canadian charities. Additional information can be found at walmartcanada.ca, facebook.com/walmartcanada and at twitter.com/walmartcanada.
Media Contact
For more information and to schedule interviews with Breakfast Club of Canada or Walmart spokespeople, please contact:
Julie Hauville
Media Relations, Breakfast Club of Canada
julie.hauville@breakfastclubcanada.org
Felicia Fefer
Corporate Affairs, Walmart Canada
Boucherville – December 20th, 2022 –
Breakfast Club of Canada just marked 20 years of partnership with Costco warehouses, one of its main and long trusted support. Over the last two decades, Costco has been making sure to bring awareness and contribute to the health and education of youth and contributed more than 18 million dollars towards the Club’s ultimate goal: breakfast for every child, every day.
“Breakfast Club of Canada is very fortunate to rely on dedicated partners like Costco who understand the importance of a healthy and nutritious breakfast for students” said Judith Barry, Co-Founder and Director, Government Relations at Breakfast Club of Canada. “With the major increase in the number of schools supported over the past two years and the significant impact that inflation is having on operations, the support of major partner is more important than ever.”
Costco warehouses and their associates showed their ongoing generosity by joining Breakfast Club of Canada’s annual back-to-school campaign for the 15th year in a row. After the 10 days campaign across the country and thanks to employee’s dedication, close to 1.4 million was raised highlighting the power of this partnership to make a real difference and ensure children can reach their full potential and can look forward to a brighter future.
“Every child in Canada should have access to a nutritious breakfast. Costco Canada is proud to partner with Breakfast Club of Canada to make this reality. Over the last 20 years, our employees and customers have supported this mission and we look forward to continuing our partnership for years to come” Gino Dorico, Senior Vice-President & General Manager at Costco.
About Breakfast Club of Canada
Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized by Aliments du Québec for its promotion of local food products, the Club helps reach more than 580,000 children in over 3,500 school nutrition programs across the country. The ultimate goal: breakfast for every child, every day. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About Costco
Costco Wholesale’s primary charitable efforts focus on programs supporting children’s initiatives, specifically in the areas of health, welfare and education, as well as to families in need in the communities where we do business. We are striving to make a positive impact, and we are thankful to be able to provide support to a variety of organizations and causes.
Media Contact
For more information and to schedule interviews with Costco or Breakfast Club of Canada spokespeople, please contact:
Julie Hauville
Media Relations, Breakfast Club of Canada julie.hauville@breakfastclubcanada.org
Vancouver, March 2, 2023 – Tuesday, the Government of British Columbia announced the details for Budget 2023, which includes dedicated new funding to support sustainable school food programs across the province. A total of 4 million over the next three years will be invested in expanding existing school food programs and increasing capacity to address student hunger.
Breakfast Club of Canada welcomes this announcement that will leverage existing contributions from food security organizations and the private sector. We will continue to work with all stakeholders to advance the development of school nutrition programs, which have positive impacts on the health and education of children across the country.
“As many children and families continue to struggle with the impacts of inflation and lack of access to nutritious foods each day, this funding is an inspiring step towards ensuring that every child in the province can benefit from school food programs and reach their full potential,” stated Judith Barry, Cofounder and Director of Government Relations at Breakfast Club of Canada. “This new investment will position BC as a leader in school food programs in the country. We look forward to collaborating with all stakeholders involved in ensuring our support to future generations.”
It takes an entire team to effectively promote access to nutritious food for children. This commitment from the Government of British Columbia will help emphasize the importance of the ongoing work with non-profit organizations and the need for community connections, inclusion and continued support from donors to ensure that all children are able to benefit from a nutritious breakfast to start their day.
About Breakfast Club of Canada
Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized for its promotion of local food products, the Club helps reach more than 580 000 children in over 3,500 school nutrition programs across the country, including over 18,000 children in more than 300 programs in British Columbia each day. The ultimate goal: breakfast for every child, every day. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Media Contacts
For more information or to speak with a Breakfast Club of Canada spokesperson, please contact:
Victoria Jaklin
victoria.jaklin@breakfastclubcanada.org
Children across Canada will have to wait
Boucherville, March 28, 2023 – Following the tabling of the federal government’s 2023 budget, Breakfast Club of Canada is concerned that no financial commitment to implementing a national school nutritious meal program has been put forward.
“At the rate the federal government is moving, Canada risks remaining the only G7 country without a school nutrition program for months, if not, years to come. Despite the federal government’s goodwill to implement such a program, we must recognize that the 2023 budget sends contradictory signals,” comments Tommy Kulczyk, President and Chief Executive Officer at Breakfast Club of Canada.
Nutrition is key to children’s overall health, well-being and learning. It is well documented that a healthy and nutritious diet is important to ensure optimal health, growth, and development, prevent various chronic diseases, and support learning. However, many children and youth across Canada are at risk to start their school day on an empty stomach. In fact, this situation may worsen, as inflation and higher interest rates make it more difficult for families to afford sufficient and healthy foods. As a result, many Canadians are adjusting their behaviour to cope with rising food prices: over 30 percent are eating less nutritious food and nearly 20 per cent are reducing meal sizes or skipping meals.
“There has never been a more critical time to invest in school nutrition programs and ensure that all children across the country have access to the nutritious foods they need to develop their full potential,” adds Judith Barry, Co-Founder and Director, Government Relations. “Despite the federal government’s commitment to develop a National School Food Program, four years following the first budget mention related to creating such program, in 2019, there is still no committed funding.”
A first substantial, multi-year funding in 2023 would have assisted in strengthening existing school nutrition programs in all provinces and territories, accelerating the impact of resources invested by all stakeholders, and filling the gaps in their reach and quality.
Breakfast Club of Canada is committed to continuing to collaborate with all donors and stakeholders as well as federal, provincial and territorial governments, to ensure that Canada becomes a country where no children go to school on an empty stomach.
About Breakfast Club of Canada
Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized for its promotion of local food products, the Club helps reach more than 580 000 children in over 3,500 programs in academic and community settings across the country. The ultimate goal: access to a nutritious breakfast for every child, every day. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Source: Breakfast Club of Canada
For further information: Eric Aach, eaach@national.ca, 514 569-3594
Boucherville, June 13, 2023 – As we enter the final stretch of the school year, a newly released study commissioned by Breakfast Club of Canada finds that the vast majority (84%) of Canadians say the federal Liberal government should make good on its election campaign promise as soon as possible to provide a billion investment over five years to work towards a national school nutritious meal program.
Despite the Liberal Party of Canada’s promise in the 2021 federal election to invest billion over five years to work towards a national school nutritious meal program, and the progresses made by Ministers Karina Gould and Marie-Claude Bibeau which led to several consultations to seek feedback regarding the development of such a program, no concrete funding has yet been put in place to deliver on that promise. Thus, Canada remains the only G7 country without a school nutrition program.
A majority (77%) of Canadians are upset and disappointed that nothing has yet to be put in place by the government to deliver on the expected meal program—and even one quarter (23%) believe the total amount promised is not enough.
1 in 4 children across Canada is experiencing food insecurity
Nutrition is key to children’s overall health, well-being, and learning. However, many children and youth across Canada are at risk of starting their school day on an empty stomach. In 2022, according to Statistics Canada, 1 in 4 children under 18 lived in a food-insecure household. That amounts to almost 1.8 million children, increasing from the almost 1.4 million in 2021.
Canadians are also firmly believing that the collective of the federal, provincial, and municipal governments should make child and youth hunger and malnutrition a priority (88%), and that students’ well-being should be taken into consideration so school-aged children do not feel stigmatized for receiving what they need (91%). In that regard, half (51%) of Canadians argue that a federal government-funded school nutritious meal program should not just be limited to school children in disadvantaged communities. All in all, Canadians expect the delivery of this collective effort to be provided in a safe, caring environment, centred on students’ well-being.
“We are now in the final throes of the countdown to this year’s school end. If nothing changes, next year just as many, if not more, children will be going to school on an empty stomach, preventing them from improving their learning capacities experiencing less stress, and ultimately being able to reach their full potential,” said Judith Barry, Co-Founder and Director of Government Relations at Breakfast Club of Canada. “There has never been a more critical time to invest in school nutrition programs and we urge the federal government to finally commit to a long-term investment for the development of such a program with an immediate investment in the upcoming months.”
About the survey
This Maru Public Opinion survey conducted on behalf of Breakfast Club of Canada was undertaken by the sample and data collection experts at Maru/Blue. 1,517 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Maru Voice Canada online panellists were surveyed from May 24th – 25th, 2023. The results of this study have been weighted by education, age, gender, and region (and in Quebec, language) to match the population, according to Census data. This is to ensure the sample is representative of the entire adult population of Canada. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of +/- 2.5%, 19 times out of 20. When compared to the data tables, discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.
About Breakfast Club of Canada
Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized for its promotion of local food products, the Club helps reach more than 580 000 children in over 3,500 school nutrition programs across the country. The ultimate goal: access to a nutritious breakfast for every child, every day. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Source: Breakfast Club of Canada
For further information: Eric Aach, eaach@national.ca, 514 569-3594
BOUCHERVILLE, QC, Aug. 22, 2023 – Today, Breakfast Club of Canada is launching its important Back-to-School fundraising campaign to be able to meet the ever-growing demand for school nutrition programs.
Once again this year, the Club and its numerous partners will reach hundreds of thousands of children from coast-to-coast-to-coast and help them start their day with a complete and nutritious breakfast. A commitment that is all the more necessary as the current socio-economic situation is increasing the needs in the community as well as the cost of food and transportation that continues to rise. In recent years, the Club has seen a significant increase in schools across Canada requesting support for a complete school nutrition program. The number of requests to implement a breakfast program is constantly growing.
Furthermore, according to the most recent data from Statistics Canada, in 2022, 1.8 million children, compared to 1,4 million children in 2021, live in a food insecure household.
“At Breakfast Club of Canada, we are committed to our role as a national player in the school nutrition ecosystem across Canada, and we approach it each year with renewed ambition,” stated Tommy Kulczyk, President and Chief Executive Officer at Breakfast Club of Canada. “Our Back-to-School fundraising initiatives are crucial as we are currently experiencing a perfect storm of obstacles making the number of schools wanting to provide nutritious breakfasts to their students increase each day.”
Throughout the upcoming year, the Club’s budget will only allow for the maintenance of existing programs with very few new programs in schools that will be put in place. Without the help of generous donors, partners and governments, the number of schools requesting support from the Club continues to grow.
“Our message is simple: as you prepare for the start of the school year, we ask that you take a minute to think about the children who will go to school hungry. We hope that a donation at the start of the school year becomes the simplest and most natural gesture of the back-to-school ritual. Indeed, providing breakfast at school is the easiest way to help all children reach their full potential,” explains Judith Barry, Co-Founder and Director, Government Relations at Breakfast Club of Canada.
Numerous Impacts of a Nutritious Breakfast
School nutrition programs are recognized for their many beneficial impacts on children, school environments and local communities. Members and partners of various initiatives, including the School Meals Coalition and the World Food Program run by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, state that these programs, including breakfast programs, contribute positively to the education, health and well-being of children, as well as to economic development and to community food systems.
In fact, more than 900 schools recently reported to the Club that the most significant impacts they have observed through their programs include improving learning capacities and/or academic achievement (31.4%)*, meeting students’ basic need for food and/or reducing hunger (22.8%)*, ensuring students have reliable access to nutritious/varied meals/food (21.8%)*, building a positive school climate, positive relationships/interactions and/or a sense of community and belonging (19.7%)*, improved mental health, well-being, mood and/or behaviour (12.3%)* and providing a safe, inclusive and destigmatized environment (12.1%)*.
“Every day we see the real impact a nutritious breakfast can have on a child’s life,” says Judith Barry. “Never before has investing in school nutrition programs been so critical. It is for these reasons that we count on the support of individuals, our partners and governments to help children because success tomorrow starts with a breakfast today.”
The Back-to-School campaign, Breakfast Club of Canada’s largest fundraising campaign, will run until September 30, 2023. To donate online: visit www.breakfastclubcanada.org/bts2023/. To make a donation via text message: text CLUB to 20222.
About Breakfast Club of Canada
Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized for its promotion of local food products, the Club helps reach children in every province and territory across the country. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
*Percentage of schools that reported this positive impact as the most significant.
For further information: Eric Aach, eaach@national.ca, 514 569-3594
Additional arguments put forward in favour of a universal school food program for the province
Montreal, August 31, 2023 —The members of the Steering Committee for a Universal School Food Program in Quebec (PASUQ) expressed their concern about the data from a new study led by the Institut de recherche et d’informations socioéconomiques (IRIS) confirming a significant school nutrition gap in Quebec and the rest of Canada. It is the members’ hope that this report on the current situation will accelerate thought leadership and help make a universal school food program a reality in Quebec. IRIS statistics show that only 12% of elementary school children have access to a school food program, compared to the 61% average among high-income countries. Food insecurity affects more than 1 out of 5 children in Quebec, or some 200,000 students in the public education system. Major government investments are required to close this gap.
“We can and must do much more to provide our children with healthy and affordable meals in all of our public schools. A universal school food program would have major beneficial impacts in terms of public health, the reduction of social inequalities, educational success, the economy and the environment, in addition to significantly reducing the mental burden on parents.” — Maëlle Brouillette, PASUQ Steering Committee Coordinator
Taking a page from other countries
The investments required to set up a universal school food program would be substantial yet comparable to those made in other jurisdictions, many of which are much less affluent than Quebec. And, as the PASUQ Steering Committee points out, a reasonable portion of these costs could be covered by parents.
“Feeding our kids shouldn’t be seen as an expense. It’s an investment. No fewer than 25 countries have a school food program in place that extends to all of their children. Close to a dozen more run a quasi-universal program that provides at least 75% coverage. What’s stopping us from doing the same for our own children?” — Maëlle Brouillette
About the Steering Committee for a Universal School Food Program in Quebec
The PASUQ Steering Committee brings together a number of partners working in the areas of school nutrition, food security, the environment, sustainable development and before-and-after-school care. The Steering Committee’s objective is to document, assess and analyze school nutrition practices and to use this information to issue shared recommendations leading to the implementation of a Quebec-wide school food program for all students. The initiative is being led by Breakfast Club of Canada and members of the Collectif québécois pour une saine alimentation scolaire, part of the Coalition for Healthy School Food.
For more information:
Maxime Bordeleau
TACT
Cellulaire : 819 698-3105
mbordeleau@tactconseil.ca
Inflation and rising food costs
Boucherville, November, 1— Barely two months after the start of the school year, Breakfast Club of Canada is facing an important increase in the need for access to nutritious food in schools, and a double increase: the number of children served has doubled in recent years, and more than 70 schools in highly vulnerable areas are on a waiting list for a program in Quebec. Added to this is the rising cost of food, which puts a heavy strain on the non-profit’s ability to maintain its activities.
In this particular context, the Club is asking the government of Quebec to include in its next budget the funds needed to deal with this critical situation by offering equal opportunity for all children attending schools in underprivileged areas.
Nearly 80,000 children reached in Quebec
Over the past few years, the Club has seen a steady and sustained growth in demand for its services, and this trend seems to have accelerated since the start of the school year. Interestingly, between 2020 and 2023, the number of children reached by the Club increased by 95%, from over 40,000 to over 79,000 across the province, while the number of breakfast programs has increased by only 30%.
A growing waiting list
Because of the high pressure of inflation on the organization, the Club must aim all its resources on maintaining its current activities and does not have the financial capacity to support the establishment of new programs. As a result, the waiting list has been growing steadily for the past two years. Today, more than 70 schools in the most underpriviledged areas in Quebec are hoping to see a breakfast program open in their area.
Too many hungry students
To ensure that all children start their day with a full stomach, the Club wants to reach all children who attend a school in an underprivileged area in the province (socio-economic index [SEI] of 8, 9 or 10). At present, nearly 180,000 children in over 660 schools in vulnerable areas do not benefit from this essential support for academic success and equal opportunities.
The Quebec region with the greatest needs are Montreal (68,600 children), Montérégie (28,600) and Lanaudière (14,500).
Other regions of Quebec also have very high rates of underserved children. These include Centre-du-Québec, with 6,600 children to be reached, representing 79% of students in underprivileged areas, Bas-Saint-Laurent (72.6%) and Abitibi-Témiscamingue (71%).
Quotes
“Our greatest wish is to be able to support children, especially those attending schools in underpriviledged areas. For months now, we’ve been doing our utmost to meet the ever-increasing demand. However, the needs are far greater than the means currently available. That’s why we’re calling on the government of Quebec to include the necessary financial support in its next budget.”
– Tommy Kulczyk, president and CEO, Breakfast Club of Canada
“Breakfast Club of Canada has the structure, expertise, financial backing from the private sector and the general public, hundreds of committed volunteers and a solid network of partners to reach all children in underprivileged areas right now. Unfortunately, we simply don’t have the financial capacity. We want the government of Quebec to make concrete, short-term commitments.”
– Marie-Claude Bienvenue, Vice-President, Government and Municipal Relations – Quebec, Breakfast Club of Canada.
About Breakfast Club of Canada
Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its sound governance and recognized by Aliments du Québec for its promotion of local food products, in addition to its efforts across Canada, the Club helps reach children in every province and territory across the country. Find out more on our website at breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.
For further information
Virginie Aubé Pelletier
TACT
514 243-0329
vapelletier@tactconseil.ca
Source
Breakfast Club of Canada
In collaboration with the Rogers ALL IN program, the Club launches the “Fuelling the future with a nutritious breakfast” campaign
Boucherville, November 13, 2023 – As the Holiday season approaches, Breakfast Club of Canada is launching its new Fuelling the future with a nutritious breakfast campaign to highlight the importance of nourishing the potential of tomorrow’s adults, especially in a difficult current economic context. The campaign, which will also be broadcast across Rogers Sports & Media’s platforms as part of the ALL IN program, will run until December 31, 2023.
With the year drawing to a close, in Canada, 1 in 3 children is still at risk of going to school hungry. Demand and need for breakfast programs continue to grow, but for the time being, the Club will have to continue supporting existing programs due to the rising cost of food.
“As we all know, families, children and society at large continue to be greatly affected by the increase in costs of food and living,” explained Tommy Kulczyk, President and Chief Executive Officer at Breakfast Club of Canada. “That is why this campaign is so important, especially as we approach the Holiday season. This collaboration with Rogers allows us to get even greater visibility for the cause and help raise crucial funds. Now, more than ever, every gesture, large or small, helps fuel the future generation with a nutritious breakfast.”
A few months after children went back-to-school, the Club is observing an increase in attendance for existing programs. Indeed, breakfast programs are increasingly becoming important mechanisms for school communities to offer students a variety of nutritious foods. This giving season, the Club calls on everyone to give children the most important element to start the school day: a nutritious breakfast.
“The Fuelling the future with a nutritious breakfast campaign is a great opportunity to increase awareness for a cause that helps all children access nutritious food at school, regardless of the reason,” said Sharon Hinds, Manager All IN at Rogers Sports & Media. “We commit to leveraging our platforms to support Breakfast Club of Canada in creating an inclusive and welcoming environment where children can reach their full potential, one breakfast at a time. We invite all stakeholders to join us on this journey by supporting the Club as they work towards reaching all children across the country.”
To find out more about the campaign and donate: https://www.breakfastclubcanada.org/holiday2023/
About Breakfast Club of Canada
Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized for its promotion of local food products, the Club helps reach children in every province and territory across the country. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
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For more information on Breakfast Club of Canada or to speak with a spokesperson:
Hermanie Desrosiers, hermanie.desrosiers@breakfastclubcanada.org