Food insecurity is becoming an increasing problem affecting students, but School District 83 is addressing that with the help of registered dietician Serena Caner.
At the Feb. 20 board meeting, the school food program facilitator provided an update on the initiatives she91裸聊视频檚 coordinating with provincial funding through the province91裸聊视频檚 Feeding Futures strategy that is providing $214 million to school districts over three years.
Through that, Caner has introduced centralized ordering and delivery of food that she gets from local grocery stores and some larger suppliers to provide healthy food, taking the burden off individual schools. With the funding, she91裸聊视频檚 able to offer a greater variety of food options as opposed to the cheaper toast and granola bars that are common staples.
91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 not the food that they need. So, we really wanted to encourage schools to serve fruit and vegetables and protein,91裸聊视频� she told the board. 91裸聊视频淎nd those foods are more expensive91裸聊视频� but we have money to support nutritious food in schools, so let91裸聊视频檚 do it.91裸聊视频�
In supporting food programs, the government also wants to support local agriculture, and encourages school districts to work towards having 30 per cent of their food bill spent on items from B.C. producers. Caner91裸聊视频檚 latest initiative, the SD83 Farmer91裸聊视频檚 Box helps accomplish both of the above goals.
The pilot program has individual boxes of local produce delivered to schools once a month, with families able to purchase them online at . The boxes are $40 but, using a discount code provided by the school principal, SD83 families can get them for only $20. Caner also said that they started the program with just veggies, but will now have local meat boxes available starting in March.
91裸聊视频淏ecause our schools don91裸聊视频檛 have capacity to feed every student yet, we91裸聊视频檇 also like to help support families so they can feed their kids,91裸聊视频� she explained. 91裸聊视频淚 think most families would prefer that option.91裸聊视频�
The new program was well received by the board.
91裸聊视频淚 think it91裸聊视频檚 a fabulous program91裸聊视频� I91裸聊视频檓 really excited to hear more about that,91裸聊视频� vice chair Corryn Grayston said. 91裸聊视频淎nd I know there are many growers here in our district that would be very pleased to support this program in any way, shape or form.91裸聊视频�
Other initiatives Caner is continuing to work on are school-wide feasts where foods classes prepare a meal that91裸聊视频檚 eaten by all students in a common area, and the Soupermeals that come from community partnerships. That includes Shuswap Food Action delivering to 13 schools and five Strong Start programs, the Hub offering hot lunches at Eagle River Secondary in Sicamous and Glad Tidings Church91裸聊视频檚 Brown Bag Lunches for Armstrong students.
The board received the report for information, and thanked Caner for her extensive work on district food insecurity.
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