Group promotes student nutrition

Recently, Mayor Rob Ford proclaimed October 1 to 5, 2012 as Feeding Toronto’s Hungry Students Week

By Lauryn Kronick –

Toronto Foundation for Student Success (TFSS) is calling on City Council to put the fundamental needs of children first and support a $1.48m budget request for Student Nutrition Programs. More than 144,000 children rely on breakfast, snack and lunch programs to make it through each school day.

One in every three children in our city lives in poverty and 40 per cent of all children come to school hungry each day.  This can be as high as 68 per cent in our most at risk communities.   Research has shown that children who eat a healthy breakfast do better in school and have less behavioural problems and fewer suspensions.  It’s really simple: if you’re hungry it’s hard to focus and learn.

Mayor Rob Ford proclaimed October 1 to 5, 2012 as Feeding Toronto’s Hungry Students Week.  A week that saw student volunteers, TFSS supporters, politicians and public figures raise awareness and collect pledges to help feed Toronto’s hungry students.  Now Councillors have a chance to do their part and support the budget request before them.

Catherine Parsonage, Executive Director and CEO of the Toronto Foundation for Student Success, said, “It’s simple – hungry children have difficulty learning.  Hungry teens are angry teens, many of whom come to school and have eaten little the day before. We need the support of Toronto’s City Council to help nourish hungry children in our communities.”