Photo: St. Dominic Elementary School, Oakville, ON
More than $3.1 million to be invested in children’s nutrition
Friday, November 3, 2017 – 8:00am
NEWSROOM: Whole Foods Market Foundations
CAMPAIGN: Whole Kids Foundation®
CONTENT: Press Release
VANCOUVER, BC, November 3, 2017 /3BL Media/ – Whole Kids Foundation and Farm to Cafeteria Canada announce the largest federally supported multi-sector investment in a national school food program. More than $3.1 million will be invested in children’s nutrition over the next three years. An investment of $1.03 million provided by Whole Kids Foundation served as a catalyst for additional NGO grants and earned matching funds from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
To date, 50 Canadian schools have received funds through the Farm to School Canada Grant Program. Each grant, worth approximately $10,000, funds nutrition education and sustainability training, along with school gardens and salad bars.
“This comprehensive approach to nutrition education is creating healthier environments in classrooms and cafeterias alike,” said Kim Herrington, Whole Kids Foundation school programs director. “We are proud to be a part of this movement and thankful to Farm to Cafeteria Canada for their deep understanding of the need to empower kids to make healthy food choices; this is a prime example of the power of public-private partnerships.”
The Farm to School Canada grant program, a central component of the Farm to School Canada Digs In Initiative, connects schools to farms and children to their food. According to Joanne Bays, National Manager of Farm to Cafeteria Canada, “Farm to School has great potential to address two of society’s major challenges: concern about the diet and health of our school children and concern about the capability of regional and institutional food systems to provide for basic nutritional needs.”
“We are thrilled about our partnership with the Whole Kids Foundation,” says Bays. “Canada is the only G8 country that does not have a national school food program. Most Canadian schools do not have cafeterias nor staff to provide food for students. The $1.03 million contribution from Whole Kids will enable schools to purchase and install basic gardening and/or food service equipment – including a salad bar. The additional funding from PHAC and NGOs will help to build the supportive national and regional infrastructure and training opportunities necessary to support and sustain school-based efforts to bring more healthy, local foods from farms to cafeterias.”
Applications from additional schools will be accepted January 1 through March 31. For more information or to apply, visit https://www.farmtocafeteriacanada.ca/our-work/farm-to-school-canada-grants/.
About Whole Kids Foundation®
Whole Kids Foundation, a Whole Foods Market foundation, is based in Austin, Texas USA and operates as an independent, nonprofit organization. By empowering schools and inspiring families, the Foundation aims to help children reach optimal health through the strength of a healthy body fueled by nutritious food. For more information on the Foundation’s programs, including school gardens, salad bars and nutrition education for teachers, visit wholekidsfoundation.org.
About Farm to Cafeteria Canada
Farm to Cafeteria Canada is a pan-Canadian organization that educates, builds capacity, strengthens partnerships, and influences policy to bring local, healthy, and sustainable foods into all public institutions. Farm to Cafeteria Canada is proud to lead the national Farm to School movement. For more information about F2CC, visit www.farmtocafeteriacanada.ca
Media Contacts:
Blaire Benson
Curator for Whole Kids Foundation
Blaire.Benson@curatorpr.com
919.475.5623
