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Breakfast — and So Much More!

Most people think of school breakfast programs as a way of making sure students get the nutrition they need to fuel their academic performance. But what they don’t necessarily consider is all the social perks these programs have for their young members. In connection with International Friendship Day, we talked to Linzi, who was […]

July 23, 2021/by gabrielle detonnancour

News

Lindsey Butterworth and Justin Kent Become Breakfast Club of Canada Ambassadors

The pair want to raise awareness and help provide children with important opportunities Boucherville, July 19, 2021 – Breakfast Club of Canada is proud to announce that Lindsey Butterworth and Justin Kent are joining the BCC community as ambassadors. The British Columbia natives are eager to contribute to fundraising initiatives as well as promote […]

July 20, 2021/by gabrielle detonnancour

In the Club

Breakfast — and So Much More!

July 23, 2021/by gabrielle detonnancour

News

Lindsey Butterworth and Justin Kent Become Breakfast Club of Canada Ambassadors

July 20, 2021/by gabrielle detonnancour

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In the Club

Breakfast — and So Much More!

Most people think of school breakfast programs as a way of making sure students get the nutrition they need to fuel their academic performance. But what they don’t necessarily consider is all the social perks these programs have for their young members.

In connection with International Friendship Day, we talked to Linzi, who was a breakfast program enrollee when she was younger. She used to eat breakfast at school several times a week, but not because of food insecurity. It was a way for her to make friends and learn more about the culture of her adopted home of Quebec.

Her family came here from China when she was six years old. They moved to the Montreal suburb of LaSalle when she was eight. That’s when she first heard about Breakfast Club of Canada. With both her parents working and two other siblings at home, mornings in her household tended to be hectic. Her family made the decision to sign her up for the breakfast program so she could enjoy a calmer start to the day and have the time to eat a full, wholesome breakfast before the first bell rang.

It was there, over breakfast, that Linzi realized that overcoming linguistic barriers and engaging in a conversation with her fellow students wasn’t as difficult as it first seemed.

“With all the food there was to choose from, it created an environment where, even if I didn’t really know very many kids, I could say things like, ‘Oh, is that what you picked?’, ‘And you took that?’ ‘Is that good?’ or ‘I like this one the best.’ It gave us something in common we could talk about.”

One of the benefits of the breakfast program for Linzi was all the friendships that emerged from it, with students at all grade levels.

“I made tons of friends through Breakfast Club of Canada because it had nothing to do with school as such. But I would see some of my classmates there, too. After you have breakfast, you have the energy you need to begin your day, but it also means you feel less rushed.”

Linzi and the other kids would chat over breakfast, regardless of their differing ages or grade levels. They all looked out for one another. The older kids would help the younger ones, for example, by going to get them a utensil they didn’t have. And the more experienced breakfast program enrollees were quick to show the newbies the ropes, she explained.

She has lots of great memories of her time with Breakfast Club of Canada. One that stands out in her mind is an encounter she had with an older student.

“I remember I was finishing up something I really liked, but I was too shy to get up and get seconds. Breakfast was almost over, and the volunteers were starting to clean up. That’s when one of the older kids who hadn’t eaten his said to me, ‘You can have mine if you want.’”

Linzi also has fond recollections of her first school breakfast. She felt a little lost, but she remembers the volunteers who walked her in and made her feel instantly at home.

“They were so nice. They smiled, took the time to talk to me, and said, ‘Hi, how are you today?’ to every child who came in and paid close attention to them. I felt seen. I felt like I mattered. When you show up with a tray and you don’t know a soul, it’s a little scary. It really helped me come out of my shell. It’s this type of experience that definitely shaped my sense of belonging with the Quebec community.”

Today, Linzi is the co-founder and director of operations at the Gallea art gallery, Canada’s largest online art gallery and exhibition venue. Not only does she work in the operations division, she is also an artist herself. It was important to her to make sure other children can have the same positive experience she did when she was younger. Fun fact, Gallea is also one of the Club’s newest partners.

Breakfast programs influence children’s lives in countless ways. You can learn more about BCC’s impact.

July 23, 2021/by gabrielle detonnancour

News

Lindsey Butterworth and Justin Kent Become Breakfast Club of Canada Ambassadors

The pair want to raise awareness and help provide children with important opportunities

Boucherville, July 19, 2021 – Breakfast Club of Canada is proud to announce that Lindsey Butterworth and Justin Kent are joining the BCC community as ambassadors. The British Columbia natives are eager to contribute to fundraising initiatives as well as promote the Club’s values in order to provide children with important nutritional and educational opportunities.

“I have a passion for health promotion and a keen interest in advocating healthy behaviour through adequate nutrition in youth,” explained Lindsey Butterworth. “Learning about food security in my undergraduate degree and volunteering with the breakfast program at my local community centre really instilled the importance of access to a healthy breakfast in me. I want to continue to promote and increase accessibility to breakfast programs across the country with Breakfast Club of Canada.”

A Canadian middle-distance runner, Butterworth is set to represent Canada at the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games. She began her running career while attending Simon Fraser University and is a two-time NCAA Division II 800m champion. She graduated from university in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Health Sciences. Butterworth currently trains in Burnaby, British Columbia, while working full time as an academic advisor for student athletes.

Also joining the Club’s circle of ambassadors is Justin Kent. A Canadian distance runner, he represented Canada at the 2017 Jeux de la Francophonie and the 2019 World Cross Country Championships. In 2019, he won the Vancouver Sun Run, becoming the first local to win since 1992. Kent trains in Burnaby, British Columbia, and is a coach with Mile2Marathon, a community-centered coaching program.

“I believe in the importance of equal opportunity for youth to have access to proper nutrition,” said Kent. “Growing up in Surrey, British Columbia, an inner-city school system, I witnessed the positive impact of a breakfast program. I hope I can make a difference so that youth are properly fuelled to achieve their goals. No one should chase their dreams on an empty stomach.”

The pair will be actively involved in the Club’s fundraising activities as well as growing awareness on the importance of breakfast programs in Canada. Eager to kick-off this partnership, Butterworth and Kent are selling their personal branded Olympic t-shirts, with all proceeds going to the Club. They have also launched their own fundraising page to help raise money for the cause.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Lindsey and Justin to our BCC family,” stated Tommy Kulczyk, General Manager of Breakfast Club of Canada. “It is an honour to work with ambassadors who care deeply about the work we do and who help support our mission. Lindsey and Justin are passionate about nutrition and want to make a difference in the lives of children in Canada. They are great role models and we look forward to collaborating with them on many upcoming projects.”

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 257,000 children and youth in 1,887 schools 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:

Victoria Jaklin
Advisor, Corporate Communications and Public Relations
Breakfast Club of Canada
victoria.jaklin@breakfastclubcanada.org
514-929-6805

July 20, 2021/by gabrielle detonnancour

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Breakfast — and So Much More!

Lindsey Butterworth and Justin Kent Become Breakfast Club of Canada Ambassadors

Breakfast — and So Much More!

Lindsey Butterworth and Justin Kent Become Breakfast Club of Canada Ambassadors

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Breakfast — and So Much More!

Most people think of school breakfast programs as a way of making sure students get the nutrition they need to fuel their academic performance. But what they don’t necessarily consider is all the social perks these programs have for their young members.

Lindsey Butterworth and Justin Kent Become Breakfast Club of Canada Ambassadors

The pair want to raise awareness and help provide children with important opportunities

About Breakfast Club of Canada

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