Local Organizations Joining Together to Raise Awareness for School Food Programs
– Starting October 16, organizations across Central West Ontario are joining together to participate in the Great Big Crunch to raise awareness about the importance of Student Nutrition Programs. Halton Food for Thought, Nutrition for Learning, The Children’s Foundation of Guelph, YMCA of Greater Toronto, and the region’s lead agency, YMCA of Three Rivers, are uniting to welcome the community into the wonderful world of Student Nutrition Programs.
This local initiative is part of the annual national Great Big Crunch, an event organized by the Coalition for Healthy School Food to promote healthy food and raise awareness about the need for a universal school food program in Canada.
From October 16 – 30, the community is invited to join the campaign on social media to see schools “Crunch with Us,” celebrating the benefits of Student Nutrition Programs and helping to spread the word about their importance.
“The Great Big Crunch isn’t just about a single moment—it’s about a shared commitment to student nutrition. Together with our partners, we’re building a movement that supports healthy eating, learning readiness, and stronger communities.” – Teen Steeves, Supervisor, Student Nutrition Programs Central West Ontario, from YMCA of Three Rivers.
The participating organizations support over 680 schools across the Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph-Wellington-Dufferin, and Peel regions, providing more than 400,000 students with access to nutritious meals and snacks at school. When students have access to the nutrition they need, it has proven benefits, including increased energy, stronger school communities, and improved academic performance.
“The Great Big Crunch is a great opportunity for us and our schools to pause and create collective moments celebrating the positive impact of programs on their students. When everyone crunches in unison you see how many students can benefit from our programs.” – Aliya Khawari, Executive Director of Halton Food for Thought.
Want to join in and show your support for Student Nutrition Programs? Take a picture or a short video of you crunching something nutritious like an apple or a cucumber. Post it on social media with the hashtags #CrunchForStudents and #GreatBigCrunch. You can also tag @YMCAofThreeRivers who oversees local Student Nutrition Programs.
“The Great Big Crunch brings the community together to celebrate food. Local produce tastes great and is good for you, too.” – Andy Seto, Director, Peel Student Nutrition Programs.
The more noise we make crunching, the better! Please help us raise awareness about the importance of student nutrition, fueling our students’ day ahead with the food they need to reach their full potential.
“While our shared commitment to Student Nutrition Programs extends beyond the Great Big Crunch, it’s a wonderful reminder of the collective impact of collaborative approaches to food access.” – Megan Harron, Director of Programs at the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington.
About The Coalition for Healthy School Food: The Coalition for Healthy School Food is a growing network of over 400 non-profit organizations from across Canada. The Coalition advocates for public investment in and federal standards for a universal, cost-shared school food program that would see all children have daily access to healthy food at school.
“School food programs foster connection, community, stronger pathways to success. We’re not just making noise for school food; we’re standing up for the future of our communities. The Great Big Crunch shows that our regions can come together in solidarity, side-by-side as the wind at the back of our future citizens.” – Erin Moraghan, CEO of Nutrition for Learning.
For More Information: Aaron Miller (Aaron.Miller@ytr.ymca.ca)