Tag Archive for: Supporters

A Teacher Takes Her Commitment to Children to the Next Level

With the latest numbers pointing to an 80% upsurge in food insecurity in Canada since the onset of the pandemic, breakfast programs supported by individual donors, corporate partners and governments are more important than ever. We are very fortunate to be able to count on a strong, engaged network of donors who believe in investing in children’s success.

What starts for some as a personal investment of their time and energy can sometimes turn into a longer-term commitment. The Club recently heard from Chantal Sawyer, who taught special education at Saint-Joseph School in Saint-Jérôme, Québec, for 12 years. She witnessed first-hand the impact breakfast programs have on students’ academic performance and overall well-being. Seeing every day what food insecurity does to a child and knowing that the needs are, sadly, greater than ever, she felt the need to double-down on her commitment to the Club’s programs to make sure they will always be there, beyond her lifetime, to help young people. She contacted the Club in 2019 to let us know she had provided for us in her will.

“I made a bequest to the Club because it’s vital children get something to eat before they start their school day. Without it, all they can think about is how hungry they are. That means they’re not ready to learn. Nobody would be.

I remember that the volunteers at that school stayed around longer for students who didn’t have time to eat breakfast at home. We were lucky to have the same volunteers year after year, which created a real sense of stability. I was touched by how dedicated they were.

No matter the circumstances —whatever time it was, whether it was in the middle of a blizzard or an ice storm, even if it made them a half-hour late — I always made sure my kids had eaten. And I don’t want that to ever, ever, ever, ever stop. It should never come to an end. Even now, I have a small fridge in my classroom because the school I work at doesn’t have a breakfast program,” she told us.

 

A bequest is an easy, convenient and meaningful way for anyone to give to a favourite charity, although it is still largely unknown. There are several options available: you can leave a specific amount or a small percentage of your estate, which will have no impact on your financial situation during your lifetime. What’s more, a receipt will be issued to your estate when the time comes, which will reduce the amount of tax owing. The resulting benefits will help ensure your heirs don’t lose out.

If you’d like to learn more about planned giving or, if like Ms. Sawyer, you have already included a provision for the Club in your will, contact us at planned.giving@breakfastclubcanada.org so we can thank you and acknowledge your generosity.

 

Legal notice

We would be happy to assist you in your philanthropic planning but we are not qualified to provide any financial or legal advice. Please talk to a professional who is familiar with your financial circumstances.

YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE

This past year has been an exceptionally challenging one for many people. Although it has seen new opportunities appear for some, it has been fraught with obstacles for others. And the upcoming holiday season will be no less difficult for families who are already struggling to make ends meet. The pandemic has exacerbated household poverty to the point that one out of three Canadian children lives in a situation of food insecurity. Which is why a donation to Breakfast Club of Canada can make a real difference — now more than ever. Give children the gift of a nutritious morning meal in an environment that puts a smile on their face, boosts their self-confidence and provides them with the energy they need to achieve their potential all day long.

“By giving to Breakfast Club of Canada, you’ll be part of one of the best gift exchanges going this season. Not only will your donation help keep nearly 2,000 breakfast programs running across the country, but it will also have a positive impact on you,” as stated by Marie-Pier Lemyre, Senior Advisor, Planned Giving at Breakfast Club of Canada. According to a recent study, generous people live happier lives.[1] Interesting, don’t you think? But that’s not all!

Did you know your donation entitles you to a tax credit that works out to about 33% for a donation of up to $200 and about 50% on any amounts above this?[2] But there are other ways to give beyond cash donations. Few people realize that if you own publicly traded shares that have increased significantly in value in the time since you acquired them and you use them to make a donation to the Club, there’s an extra incentive: you won’t have to pay tax on the corresponding capital gain.

Here’s an example to explain how this works:

Say you own shares that are currently valued at $2,000. You bought them a few years ago for $500. Normally, you would have to pay tax on half of the increase in value (i.e., the capital gain), or $750. By instead making a charitable donation of these shares, you’ll be exempt from this tax, which represents a substantial savings. If we estimate a rounded-off tax rate of 50%, that means an additional tax advantage of $375 — and that’s on top of the tax credit.[3]

Here is a video to help you better understand:

Whatever way you decide to show your support to BCC, you will be spreading the spirit of community that we have seen emerge in so many touching ways all year long and bring the magic of the season to children across the country. Help us put a twinkle in their eye by stepping up to the breakfast plate and feeding their appetite for success.

Happy Holidays, one and all!

THANK YOU TO JOCELYNE GONTHIER, MAJOR AND PLANNED GIFTS CONSULTANT, FOR HER INPUT IN WRITING THIS ARTICLE.
TO FIND OUT HOW TO DONATE PUBLICLY LISTED SECURITIES, WRITE TO US AT PLANNED.GIVING@BREAKFASTCLUBCANADA.ORG.
[1] SOURCE: STUDY CONDUCTED BY RESEARCHERS PHILIPPE TOBLER AND ERNST FEHR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH
[2] RATE WILL VARY DEPENDING ON YOUR TAXABLE INCOME.
[3] FOR A DONATION MADE IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC.
LEGAL NOTICE
WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ASSIST YOU IN YOUR PHILANTHROPIC PLANNING BUT WE ARE NOT QUALIFIED TO PROVIDE ANY FINANCIAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. PLEASE TALK TO A FINANCIAL ADVISOR, ACCOUNTANT, NOTARY, LAWYER OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL WHO IS FAMILIAR WITH YOUR FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND THUS ABLE TO HELP YOU MAXIMIZE THE TAX BENEFITS OF YOUR CHARITABLE DONATIONS.

OLLIE, THE BOY WHO BECAME WHAT HE ATE WANTS TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR PICKY EATERS!

Do you know Ollie, The Boy Who Became What He Ate? He’s a picky little boy who gets superpowers from new food he tries. His goal? Encouraging children to discover new food and to develop healthy eating habits. 

Ollie is the star of a TV series on CBC Kids as well as a book, all created and produced by Sheena Macrae. He is also generous, because all through December, you will have the opportunity to give breakfast to children attending a breakfast program in school. 

Buy your book here! 

Free activities for your class or your family! 

Breakfast Club of Canada is the charitable partner for Superpower Food Day by Ollie Club — the home of popular CBC show Ollie, The Boy Who Became What He Ate! Dec 2nd – Dec 4th, Ollie Club will launch free programming, lesson plans and educational activities for teachers across Canada and around the world — all available online.

Superpower Food Day is a Telus-funded, free virtual family event celebrating and helping kids learn about healthy foods. With Ollie, the five-year-old star of the animated CBC TV show as inspiration, Superpower Food Day encourages teachers, educators and parents to engage children in educational activities that spark interest in trying new and nutritious foods. Playing with your food has never been this enlightening!

Spearheading the Superpower Food movement is Sheena Macrae, Ollie creator, author and Executive Producer of Ollie, The Boy Who Became What He Ate. “Superpower Food Day is about making food fun for kids of all ages. My goal is to turn the kitchen into a classroom and the classroom into a kitchen. I hope that these free lessons help educators to turn their students into real food superheroes,” says Macrae.

Educators, teachers and homeschool parents are invited to register for Ollie Superpower Food Day to receive a week of Ollie-themed, teacher-created, free lesson plans and resources for pre-K to grade 1 children. The Ollie Club “classroom in a box” includes: 

  • Age-appropriate ready-made classes about healthy living.
  • Classes include learning about food, nutrition, literacy, health, dramatic arts, food sustainability, movement and meditation.
  • Fun, printable worksheets for your students.
  • Entertaining and educational pre-recorded activities and storytime.

From December 2nd — 4th, these ready-made classes are perfect for in-school or virtual classes to inspire learners. Dec 5th with Superpower Food Day as it continues with a full day of free virtual family activities and live entertainment, teachers are encouraged to share this information with parents and caregivers. 

When you register, you’re automatically entered to win one of 20 Ollie storybooks for your classroom.  Free to register here or on www.OllieClub.com 

100 Recipes From Well-known Canadians, Benefiting Breakfast Club Of Canada!

plate of pasta

Klorofil Publishing is hard at work dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s in preparation for the launch of Canada’s Culinary Heritage this fall. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the cookbook will be donated to Breakfast Club of Canada.

Canada’s Culinary Heritage will include favourite recipes from 100 well-known Canadians, including our two ambassadors, Mikaël Kingsbury and Carey Price. Contributors will share the story behind their chosen dish and provide their top picks for the country’s best tourist attractions.

To reserve your copy, go to canada2017.org

Thank you to Klorofil!

 

Walmart Campaign 2018: Store Stories

Breakfast club of canada members at Waterloo Ontario

The heart of the campaign lies with its Associates – Waterloo, ON

Malissa Mota is a true Breakfast Club of Canada ambassador. As Charity leader, Claims Associate and Walmart employee for the past eight years, she’s inspiring her colleagues to go above and beyond- all for the kids.

“Hearing that kids are going to school without anything to eat is heartbreaking. It’s something we take for granted. Many of the associates at this store can relate to this cause because they have their own children. You can feel the connection in their voices when they speak about it.”

Malissa and her colleagues believe that every child should begin their day with a nutritious breakfast. For this reason, they’ve gone above and beyond to raise money, and awareness, for Breakfast Club of Canada. The store produced their own campaign-specific t-shirts.

“One of our Greeters, Diane, is a part-time clown who also sings and makes balloon animals. We have her at the entrance of the store greeting customers and selling balloon animals as a way of raising additional funds.”

Cashiers and associates at this Waterloo store embody what it means to give back to their community and all of us at the Club are deeply touched by the passion and support we feel from the Walmart team.

Quebec Apples: A Healthy (And Yummy!) Food Choice For Our Kids

Child holding an apple

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!)

Back To School – A Time To Give While Getting Everything On Your List

Bureau En Gros employees standing in front of their store

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 13 years, Bureau en Gros has been a faithful ally, encouraging associates across the province 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, Bureau en Gros is giving their customers the opportunity to show their support for their community while they get ready for back to school by donating to Breakfast Club of Canada. Employees are also encouraged to get in on the action with their own fundraising activities. Whether it’s a barbecue or a staff denim day challenge, their imagination is endless – and so is their dedication to our cause. Over the years, Bureau en Gros has donated in excess of $3.2 million to Breakfast Club of Canada to support children’s health and education, two aspects critical to helping them thrive.

Walmart – Supporting A Cause That Supports Children

Child eating breakfast in cafeteria

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!

A Great Start To The School Year For Breakfast Club Of Canada

children with pinwheels on their heads

The Add a Breakfast to Your Bill campaign in partnership with Costco Wholesale has been a resounding success, raising a total of $1,000,000 in just one week!

Costco Wholesale has been supporting Breakfast Club of Canada since 2007 by raising funds and increasing public awareness about school breakfast programs. The Club and Costco are both committed to helping more children and youth succeed in school and fulfill their potential. Costco’s contribution means the Club can offer breakfast to more than 243,000 students across the country to get their school mornings off to a healthy start.

The Club would like to congratulate all the employees in the 111 participating Costco warehouses for their amazing contributions to this initiative. Every year, they play a key role in making sure as many young Canadians as possible have access to a school breakfast program. Our heartfelt thanks go out to each and every one of them for their generosity and dedication.

As it currently stands, one out of four Canadian children starts their school day on an empty stomach. The Club leverages its network and its expertise to bring together a wide range of resources and stakeholders to counter this sobering statistic. The donations received are invested in 1,809 breakfast programs from coast to coast. These programs are important to promoting children’s well-being, not only by serving a wholesome breakfast every morning in a caring, nurturing environment but also by making sure they have the energy they need to do well academically. A recent Canada-wide poll conducted by the Club of 41 school administrations revealed that breakfast program enrollees double their attention span in class. Half of the schools who answered the survey also reported an improvement in attendance.

Be sure to join Breakfast Club of Canada and Costco Wholesale for next year’s back-to-school fundraiser!

Two Lucky Student Volunteers Spend The Day Learning The Restaurant Business

2 young women making pitas in a kitchen

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.