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A full tummy is good to think on!
With one in five children in Edmonton living in poverty, E4C's School Lunch Program feeds hungry children in high needs schools. It ensures that children eat a hot lunch that provides a third of their daily nutritional requirements. Families are asked to contribute a dollar a day or whatever they can through an anonymous double-envelope system. Regardless of payment, children are fed a nutritious lunch each school day. Paid staff are hired from the surrounding community to serve lunch to the children. Nearly 2,300 students eat the lunches prepared and delivered by the Misericordia and Edmonton General Hospitals at a cost of about $2 per meal. Menu items include cheese pizza, perogies, and turkey pasta casserole served with fresh fruit and white milk. Left-over food is given to local families. Our Programs also teaches children about good nutrition and introduces them to a full range of foods-many of which they do not eat at home.The School Lunch Program aslo provides the following: The Snack Program provides a nutritious mid-morning snack in 28 high-needs schools in central, inner-city, and northeast Edmonton. More than a million snacks are served each year at a cost of 18 cents per child per day. Over 5,600 children are given a nourishing snack every school day. The Young Chefs program teaches children skills and knowledge in budgeting, meal preparation, and food safety. A Collective Kitchen brings adults together to choose recipes, buy groceries within a budget, and cook meals to take home. Snack in the Shack addresses hunger issues for children in the summer months. Volunteers prepare nutritious snacks using donated food from local businesses. The snacks are delivered to the children in various park sites. A Community Garden is in full operation as of summer 2004. The garden is used to teach children about gardening and the produce is used in the collective kitchen. The School Lunch Program is a cost-efficient investment in our children and our communities. Its continued growth depends upon generous donations from all sectors of the community. Benefits Teachers indicate that there is a positive influence on student behaviour, attendance, morale, concentration and learning ability. It has also enhanced the social climate at the schools and has improved eating habits. For more information, contact:
Manisha Patel
Phone: 780.424.5408 |
Quotes from:
Teachers "Every child deserves to be fed and nourished. No child should have to be hungry. Every child deserves a chance to learn and it is extremely hard to concentrate on learning when you are hungry." Parents "My son eats lunch now - now at least we're sure he has eaten and it gives us peace of mind." "My kids wouldn't try new things before, but now they are because they try it at school and it's not bad!" Children "I can go up for seconds, and no one will get mad at me." "The food is really good, it makes my tummy feel good." |