Food programs for children struggling to meet demand in Waterloo Region

Two food assistance programs are asking for help to keep Waterloo Region’s kids fed.

According to Nutrition for Learning’s website, their goal is to “elevate the experience of universal food access at schools in ways that promote optimal wellbeing, healthy relationships and food literacy.”

But the organization itself is facing a steep challenge.

“We are seeing unprecedented need, and a need that most days feels unbeatable because the target keeps shifting,” Nutrition for Learning CEO Erin Moraghan told CTV News.

Moraghan said approximately 50 per cent of students lean on the program at least some of the time.

“Next school year, if things continue to trend, we’d be looking at our first year of potentially waitlisted school partners,” he explained. “We’re seeing children and teens utilize the program from all socio-economic levels, from all communities and households right now.”

They aren’t the only organization feeling the sting of childhood hunger.

Food4Kids delivers food packages to at-risk children experiencing chronic hunger.

“This food bag that they’re going to receive with 20 items – five fresh produce, protein, child-friendly foods. It goes to the school. It’s discretely put into the backpack and then they have food for the weekend,” said Food4Kids Program Coordinator Cali Dubois.

The organization is also dealing with growing demand.

“Currently, we’re feeding around 1,200 kids every week and we have over 230 kids on our waitlist,” Dubois said.

She said looking at the list of children they can’t help is heartbreaking.

“I have about six schools on the waitlist. It’s tough. I count my waitlist and then I wait a couple of weeks and count again, because it’s hard to look at it every week knowing there’s this many children in need.”

Officials at Food4Kids wanted to start serving high school students as well, but they say the need among elementary school students is so insurmountable, that they haven’t been able to expand their programming.

The Food Bank of Waterloo Region, meanwhile, has also asked Region of Waterloo council to almost triple their funding allotment.

CEO Kim Wilhem has said approximately 30 per cent of the people accessing their food assistance programs are children under the age of 18.