Recent research released by Statistics Canada indicates that 23% of Canadians are worried about needing the help of a food bank in the next six months. The most stressed were families with young children. Over half of households with children, 55%, reported rising pricing greatly affecting their ability to meet day-to-day expenses.
The latest data also confirms the results and key findings from Food Banks Canada’s most recent HungerCount report, which shows children are still greatly over-represented at food banks as they represent 33 per cent of food bank clients but only 20 per cent of the general population.
1 in 3 food bank users are children
Families with children are more likely to face hunger – especially for racialized groups facing systemic barriers – who are also struggling with the combination of high housing, food, and fuel costs, in addition to the costs of childcare and other child-specific needs.
The costs are even higher in the summer months when critical school nutrition programs become widely unavailable and many caregivers have additional stresses, like childcare.
Helping to fill the summer child hunger gap
Food Banks Canada’s After the Bell program helps to address the issue of child hunger by delivering healthy food packs to school-aged children from coast to coast to coast, specifically during the summer months when school-centred meal programs are not in session.
With the support of our generous corporate sponsors, including our Fresh Food Sponsor, Subway Canada, we are incredibly proud to be expanding this program to reach even more families experiencing food insecurity with nutritious, child-friendly food packs throughout the summer.
In 2024, to help address growing food insecurity rates, we are sending 200,000 food packs to children in 215 communities across the country to help meet the increased need, ensuring the most vulnerable communities are prioritized.
Melissa Mullis runs the Root Cellar Food & Wellness Hub in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Throughout the school year, the hub provides lunch for over 1500 children daily through its Brown Bag lunch program. However, the program only runs from September to June, so Mullis fills the gap in July and August with 2500 food packs from After the Bell.
By distributing healthy food packs to school-aged children from coast to coast to coast during the summer months, Food Banks Canada’s After the Bell program helps ease child hunger so kids can focus on summer fun.
“It makes us proud to have this partnership so we can bridge the gap when we’re not running our lunch program,” says Mullis, who always regretted that their program ended in the spring.
“People would say, ‘Well, what are you doing over the summer?’ And we’d feel bad that we weren’t doing a whole bunch.” Because of Food Banks Canada’s After the Bell program, she can now provide a continuous food supply to children in need. “It lets us be good community partners,” she proudly says.
The Root Cellar also administers the packs through their food share program, supporting local organizations in the community, including the Women’s Shelter and the YMCA—who reached out after noticing that many of the kids accessing their summer programs were coming without a lunch.
“After the Bell ensures that children living in poverty or families struggling with lunch items can support their kids through the summer,” she says. Delivering to the YMCA is especially impactful for Mullis because the kids who arrive without lunch are typically the same kids she feeds during the year through the Brown Bag program.
WHAT’S IN A PACK?
Each After the Bell food pack contains child-friendly, nutritious foods. The packs are assembled with shelf-stable items such as crackers, seed butter, oatmeal, granola bars, cheese dippers, fruit bars, milk, cereal, applesauce and sunflower seeds. The packs are then sent to the local food banks that use After the Bell program grant money generously provided by Subway Canada, our Fresh Food Sponsor, to supplement the food packs with fresh food items such as apples, sugar snap peas, cheese, and yogurt.
NEVER MISS LUNCH
With the support of Subway® Canada, After the Bell’s Fresh Food Sponsor, participating food banks receive a grant to add fresh fruits and vegetables to the packs and provide a well-rounded and balanced nutritious food pack.
Through its Never Miss Lunch™ program, Subway® is proud to include fresh fruit and vegetables in each food pack and to help support kids in need in communities across Canada.
“We share Food Banks Canada’s vision of creating a Canada where no one goes hungry, especially children. That’s why we’re proud that the Never Miss Lunch program is returning for the sixth consecutive year,” said Courtney Hindorff, Managing Director of Subway® Canada. “At Subway, we’re honoured to be the Fresh Food Sponsor of Food Banks Canada’s After the Bell program, providing children across the country with fresh fruit and vegetables this summer.”
“The Never Miss Lunch® program is a testament to the unwavering support of our franchisees and guests in the communities we serve. We are delighted to extend an invitation to all Canadians to unite with us on our October 16th, 2024 donation day as we continue our fight against childhood food insecurity,” expressed Hindorff. “Together, we have left an indelible mark on countless Canadian communities, from coast to coast to coast.”
This October 16th cookies that taste good and DO good are back through Subway® Canada’s Never Miss Lunch program!
From every cookie sold on October 16th, 2024, $1 will be donated to Food Banks Canada, to help nourish children when vital school food initiatives pause during summer break.
Because kids should have kid problems. Not hunger problems.
LEARN MORE ABOUT AFTER THE BELL