Morning meal program makes a difference in Thorncliffe Park.
Padinesh Ramanujan, left, and Mikey Berhan help prepare the fare for the Marc Garneau Collegiate morning snack program.
Staff photo/DANIELLE MILLEY
At Thorncliffe Park Public School, students aren't just being equipped with reading, writing and arithmetic skills - they're also being equipped with the fuel to help them focus. This year the school's morning meal program has expanded to serving all Grade 1 to 5 students every day; the program began last year handing out the healthy snacks three days a week. The largest elementary school in North America with a student population of 1,800, Thorncliffe Park Public School has a high percentage of newcomer and low-income families. By handing out 1,300 snacks a day, the program wants to provide a healthy start to the day for students so they can focus and learn.The school's morning meal and breakfast club programs were highlighted as part of a tour Monday to raise awareness about child hunger organized by the Toronto Foundation for Student Success (TFSS). "We know that as many as 68 per cent of our children are coming to school in the morning (without having breakfast at home) and we know the impact on education and learning," said Catherine Parsonage, executive director of TFSS.Research from the Toronto District School Board shows Grade 7 and 8 student who ate morning meals most days during the week achieved better grades compared to those who ate morning meals on only a few days or who never ate in the morning.The snacks includes foods from three of the food groups and are prepared in accordance with Toronto Public Health, they can include an apple, yogurt and Melba toast or cheese strings, pita and carrots. Students, who are asked to pay $5 a month for the program, are given the food around 10 a.m.A similar program exists at nearby Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute."The food program is very important here at Marc Garneau. This is the largest catchment area for new Canadians. A lot of people who come here struggle financially and to find work," said Annamaria Mazzaferro, one of the school's vice-principals.Nearly every student in the school receives the mid-morning snack every other day, which on Monday consisted of half a bagel, an apple and a small carton of milk. Representatives from each class come to pick up the bins containing the snacks, which are prepared by student volunteers the day before."There's a ton of research that shows students who have food in their bellies concentrate more," Mazzaferro said.The school, with 1,859 students, also has a small breakfast program serving 50 students and a lunch program serving 25. Thorncliffe Park's breakfast club sees more than 100 students enjoy a daily nutritious breakfast. Volunteers include mothers and real estate agents from Bosley Real Estate. The Toronto Real Estate Board sponsors breakfast clubs at 15 schools in the city, including Thorncliffe Park."This is a great program. It's really rewarding when you come in here and get talking to the kids," said Guido Perciasepe, one of the Bosley volunteers. Preparation begins by 7:30 a.m. and the students arrive at 8 a.m. to enjoy their breakfast before school starts. Menu options range from eggs to pancakes with fresh fruit and milk or banana smoothies. Students are asked to pay 25 cents a day program, but students can participate in either program whether they can contribute or not.The yearly cost for the program is almost $300,000 with funding coming for a variety of sources.Anyone interested in contributing can contact Kim Sirett at thorncliffeparkps@tdsb.on.ca