Student nutrition program relies on community partnerships to feed southwestern Ontario students

The Ontario Student Nutrition Program (OSNP), run by the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON), invited community members to learn about the program and how it impacts local children across southwestern Ontario.

Brittany McDonald, community development coordinator for Huron-Perth OSNP, discussed the operations and how they aim to focus on equity, inclusion and community partnerships to connect children across the region with healthy and nutritious food options.

The program, funded by the provincial and federal governments, provides 12-13 cents per student per day. The program serves more than 15,000 students daily, distributing fresh produce and non-perishable items.

The provincial government, through the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS), provides about $0.12-$0.13 per student per day. The federal contribution tops up the provincial amount by roughly $0.05-$0.08 per student per day. Combined, that means most schools receive roughly $0.18-$0.22 per student per day in government funding for the nutrition program.

Although the government funding is a great asset, McDonald says the amount is not enough to provide nutritious meals to all children and, therefore, community partnerships are a must.

“We’re grateful for the government funding we receive, but it simply isn’t enough to provide a truly nutritious program for all students,” McDonald explains. “Without community partners stepping up, far too many children would be left without consistent, healthy food at school.”

With additional funding from partners like the President’s Choice Children’s Charity, Tim Hortons Smile Cookie/Make Happy Tummies campaigns, Grocery Foundation and Breakfast Clubs of Canada, the OSNP is able to provide service to more than 500 schools and counting.

Locally, the Stratford-Perth Community Foundation (SPCF) is one of the key partners that helps top up what provincial and federal funding can’t cover, helping close the funding gap for children across Huron-Perth.

McDonald described this new partnership, which started in September, as a big asset in supporting children across the region.

“The support from the Stratford-Perth Community Foundation has been a real game-changer for our schools,” says McDonald. “Their funding helps us close critical gaps so that children across Huron-Perth can count on consistent access to nutritious food, not just whatever our basic government allocation can cover.”

McDonald also highlighted the need for better coordination with schools and community partners to address food insecurity during school breaks and weekends, noting this is something they’re working on alongside SPCCF.

“We do a good job of feeding kids during the school day, but hunger doesn’t stop on weekends or over the summer,” says McDonald. “That’s why we’re working more closely with school boards, public health and partners like the Stratford-Perth Community Foundation to figure out how we can reach families during those gaps in support.”

The OSNP program promotes food literacy, especially with cultural foods, providing one-pagers for schools to educate students. Fifty-one per cent of products are sourced locally within Ontario. To learn more, visit www.osnp.ca