The province announced this past week that it would ensure that every school in Manitoba has food for its students, allocating over $20 million to be distributed to schools based on their student populations.
Portage la Prairie School Division Superintendent Pam Garnham says they've been working on such a program since May and June.
"In the spring of 2024, the province announced nutrition programming and helping the division supplement the programming. And so we've been working on this, looking at putting staffing in place for our nutrition programming. Some of the funds are allocated for staffing, some for purchasing equipment, but the majority is obviously for purchasing high-quality nutritional snacks for students."
She outlines the differences students will see with the new program.
"All of our schools offer some type of breakfast program. We had that in place for many years. What this funding will do is help supplement that. We'll also be able to offer, in some of our schools, a lunch program and a more versatile snack program. We plan to integrate this gradually. What we're hoping is to continue receiving community support. We apply for grant funding through different nutritional programs such as the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba, and we receive key donations from corporations like McCain's, who provide some of their breakfast foods. Of course, there's our annual Brake for Breakfast with Mix 96 and community support. This year is special since it's the 10th anniversary of Brake for Breakfast. We still rely on grants and community support, but this ensures every child has the opportunity to have a snack if they feel the need while at school."
While Garnham notes she doesn't have the exact amount of funding her division will receive, it wasn't an equal sum for every division.
"It was based on division size, the number of students, and they also considered divisional needs. It definitely helps supplement the situation."
Garnham explains the benefits, highlighting the importance of ensuring students have access to food if they need it.
"It's a commitment to our students. We want to make sure that all of them have access to food when they come to school. We aim to provide them with what they need so they can focus better. Research shows that if you have a good meal or something in your system in the morning, your concentration improves, and overall, you just feel better. This will help our kids. It ensures that any child who needs it will be able to access it, and that's the key. Every child in our division will have access to some type of nutritional food if they need it."
Garnham adds her appreciation for everyone in the community and local businesses supporting the schools.
"It's a community effort that benefits all of us. After ten years, Brake for Breakfast has been a great success. It's one of our biggest fundraisers, and we appreciate the support of Mix 96 and the community for hosting it. We started with small breakfast programs, and they've just grown as the need has increased."