It’s morning at Alliance Public School, and the smell of warm egg sandwiches and fresh-cut fruit drifts into the gymnasium. Inside, a team of staff and volunteers greets sleepy-eyed students with warm smiles and even warmer breakfasts. This year, Alliance launched a hot breakfast program five days a week, building on their existing cooler and bin options. It’s been a game-changer.
Testimonials
Student-Alliance: “That was a lovely continental breakfast this morning!”
Vice Principal Alliance: “We have just begun offering a sit down breakfast at Alliance. The student nutrition coordinator has been instrumental in helping to support our delivery of the program to students. We appreciate the help provided by Community Living North Bay!”
Educational Assistant-Silver Birches: “A special addition to our school this year is the Salad Cart. We look forward to the many possibilities it holds for next year. Stay tuned. :)”
This year, Community Living North Bay’s Student Nutrition Program focused on this powerful goal: making sure every student starts their day nourished, focused, and ready to learn.
Our Focus This Year
Our focus this year was to maintain universal access across all schools, reduce barriers for participation, and support schools with their unique program goals, like when Silver Birches endeavored to start a salad bar. From sourcing equipment to putting a plan in place, our program worked alongside the school every step of the way.
We prioritized this because we know that food insecurity doesn’t always look the same. By supporting school-wide nutrition, we helped create environments where every child could thrive, without stigma or exclusion.
Our Partners in This Work
This impact wouldn’t be possible without collaboration.
The partners and funders we worked with this year included:
- The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services
- The Health Unit’s Northern Fruit and Vegetable Program
- Egg Farmers of Ontario and Canada
- Dairy Farmers of Ontario
- Breakfast Club of Canada
- The Grocery Foundation
- Local grocers and food distributors
- Our school board partners and dedicated educators
- Countless volunteers and community champions
Their support helped us go beyond just filling tummies; we’re building habits, community, and connection.
Our Impact This Year
Thanks to this collective effort, here’s what we achieved together:
- 658,600 students served
- 2,080,991 meals provided
- 98 programs supported across Nipissing, Parry Sound and Muskoka
Each number represents more than data. It represents moments of comfort, energy for learning, and a sense of belonging for the children who need it most.
Looking Ahead
As we continue this work, we remain committed to listening to our schools, learning from our communities, and growing a nutrition program that reaches further and lasts longer. Because when we invest in kids, we invest in everyone’s future.
