As students head back to school after a difficult year, many are looking forward to accessing healthy food provided in one of the province’s 4,500+ student nutrition programs. As part of an effort to ensure that every child and youth starts their school day well-nourished and ready to learn, during the last school year close to a million students were served nutritious food in SNO supported programs, either at school or, for virtual learners, at home.
Student Nutrition Ontario (SNO) is a network of 14 lead agencies and 39 community partnerships that exist to provide funding and support to healthy breakfast, snack and lunch programs across the province. With seed funding from the Province of Ontario, SNO lead agencies and their partners work to support the success of local school nutrition programs by teaching healthy habits; offering nutritious foods; and building supportive communities. They are the unified voice that connects an extensive network, enabling students to eat, learn, and succeed.
Last year’s pandemic meant Student Nutrition Programs across the Province had to change the way programs were delivered. Many challenges were overcome to ensure nutritious food reached as many children as possible. Volunteers continued to be the program’s lifeblood, making a lasting impact on the future of children. Support from community, provincial and national donors was overwhelming, and we would not have been able to feed students each day, across Ontario, without them.
Student Nutrition Ontario is looking forward to another successful school year! If you would like to help nourish children in Ontario contact your local Student Nutrition Ontario representative. Contact information may be found here.
Catherine Parsonage, Chair
Student Nutrition Ontario
2 Trethewey Drive, 4th Floor
Toronto, ON M6M 4A8
Mobile: 416-809-1832
E-mail: catherine.parsonage@tfss.ca
