Children and youth who are well nourished have more energy, concentrate better in class and are better prepared to participate in academic and physical activities. The Healthy Eating for Better Learning program helps children and youth who live in Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Prescott and Russell counties get the nourishment they need to succeed. The program supports healthy development, contributes to prevention of diet related health concerns and promotes healthy lifestyles among youth.
“Two years ago, both my partner and I found ourselves unemployed. Month after month, the bills kept coming in but the meagre revenue we were receiving on unemployment was hardly enough to cover all living expenses. As a parent of two young daughters in elementary school, my biggest fear was how our precarious situation would affect their capacity to learn at this critical stage.
Although we did our best to provide the children with nutritious lunches, their daily activities of learning to read, developing social skills and basic math all seem very daunting on an empty stomach. Thankfully, our school, just like all of the elementary schools on the territory of Prescott-Russell, is served by the Healthy Eating Better Learning program. The girls had unlimited access to fruits and cheese, providing them that extra support when their own meager lunches were gone.
I am so thankful for this program funded in part by United Way East Ontario. Without discrimination, all children, including mine, have access to nutrition to fuel their bodies so that their minds thrive.” – A Prescott-Russell Parent
