Local Demand Far Exceeds Funding
Local organizations that help feed students who arrive at school hungry admit they are nowhere close to meeting demand.
According to Nutrition for Learning CEO, Erin Moraghan, they would need six times their current budget to feed the nearly 100,000 students in the region.
“There is a big misconception that Nutrition for Learning or other food programs are fully funded by the government,” said Moraghan. “This couldn’t be further from the truth, we mostly rely on generous members of the community and corporations.”
She said provincial funding only accounts for 28 per cent of the total funding for the program and there are severe shortfalls amid unprecedented demand.