Food insecurity doesn’t end when public schools break for summer.
That’s why Food Banks Canada launched the After The Bell program, which brings healthy meals to Canadian children when the school system’s free meals stop flowing at the start of summer vacation.
The program exists to mitigate rising levels of hunger amongst Canada’s youth and children. According to The Canadian Press, a third of the people visiting Canadian food banks are now children.
To aid Food Banks Canada in filling hungry bellies, several major companies, including Subway, Nestle, McDonald’s and the Harbourfront Gives Foundation, are banding together to support the nonprofit.
In addition to financial support, executives from Harbourfront Wealth Management will attend the After The Bell Packing Day event on May 17, 2023, the first packing day since the start of the pandemic. This volunteer event brings executives from various high-profile organizations to pack food that will help feed thousands of children this summer.
“When we learned about After The Bell, we knew this was a cause that deserved widespread support,” said Danny Popescu, CEO and founder of Harbourfront Wealth Management. “No child should have to go hungry, especially in a country with as many resources as this one.”
As food banks are helping more people in need than ever before, the team from Harbourfront raised funds which will go towards thousands of nutritious meals for kids this summer.
The food packs delivered to children through the program are nutrient-rich and densely packed with ingredients that contribute to better health, rather than mere sustenance. Packs include milk, oatmeal, hummus, granola bars, and cereal, as well as fresh fruit and vegetables. For some of the recipients, it’s the only fruit that the children receive all week, according to a 2021 report from Food Banks Canada.
Food Banks Canada started the summer food packs program in 2015, and it has continued every year since. It has grown and now serves households in every province and territory across Canada.
That growth has been spurred in part by major companies joining the effort.
In 2022, the After The Bell program delivered a total of 175,000 food packs. This year, the nonprofit hopes to expand that number to 185,000 meals.
Visit the Food Banks Canada website to learn more about the program, and how you can help.
