Manitoba spends $1.3 million to support school nourishment programs

Manitoba is spending an additional $1.3 million to support the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba in delivering school nourishment programs, Mental Health and Community Wellness Minister Sarah Guillemard and Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Wayne Ewasko announced Thursday.

“All children deserve to be well-nourished for their days of classroom learning and kids need healthy food every day to grow strong and thrive,” said Guillemard.

“These programs will help many families affected by rising food prices and will enable the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba to cover a larger percentage of costs for meal and snack programs at funded schools.”

The new investment brings the total provincial funding for school nutrition programs this year to $2.5 million.

“Through our ongoing work with schools across the province in the delivery of school nourishment, we know there is a growing demand for these nutrition programs,” said Wendy Bloomfield, chairperson of the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba.

“Because of the increase in the numbers of schools and students asking for our support, we were falling further and further behind in our ability to meet the nutritional needs of Manitoba students. This new funding is extremely welcomed and so needed.”

The new investment will ensure that more schools throughout the province, including those that were part of the former Home Nutrition Learning Program as a response to the pandemic, will be able to support the needs of students as they return to classes this September.

“School nourishment programs provide a social school environment where students can consume nutritious food, ensuring a healthy, nutritious start for the day,” said Ewasko

“This additional investment was identified as a priority in the report of the Manitoba Commission on Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education and aligns with the Manitoba K to 12 Education Action Plan’s identified actions to remove barriers to participation and engagement in learning.”

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School breakfast program demand