By Michael Joel-Hansen

Fighting hunger in schools

Oct 2, 2018 | 5:00 PM

Two Prince Albert schools took time Tuesday morning to thank a number of local businesses that have supported the Feeding our Future program.

Feeding our Future works to provide emergency lunches to kids in both public and Catholic schools who are in need.

Cheryl Arcand is the principal at Westview Public school, which has been involved with the emergency lunch program for three years.

Arcand explained since it was implemented, the Feeding our Future initiative has made a real difference for students.

“The impact of it, that’s thousands of lunches … in the first year it was over 3,300 emergency lunches at Westview alone, also this last year, the second year, I do believe it was over 4,500,” she said.

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Representatives from a number of the businesses were on hand at Westview and St. Michael Community School to hear about how the program works and its benefits. They were also treated to tours of both schools.

The businesses that provided support for the initiative include the Broda Group, Lake Country Co-op, along with Lakeland Ford and Lakeland Hyundai. Scott Newsom, managing partner for both Lakeland dealerships said as a business, the company is happy to be able to be in a position to help out in the community, especially when it comes to such an important issue.

“[There’s] nothing worse than thinking of kids that are coming to school hungry,” he said.

With support from their business partners, schools that take part in the Feeding the Future program are now able to provide students with yogurt and juice boxes along with a sandwich.

Since it was introduced, more than 50,000 emergency lunches have been served to children in Prince Albert.

George Bolduc is chair of the Prince Albert Catholic School Division. When speaking to the businesses that have sponsored the program, Bolduc emphasized the importance of making sure kids are properly fed.

“This is a fairly expensive program,” Bolduc said. “We know it’s vital in our schools, it’s very important to have this, obviously our vice principal said it the best, children can’t learn without being fed.”

MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On twitter: @mjhskcdn