Summer can be a difficult time for children who depend on school-based programs for meals and nutritious snacks. When those programs pause for the season, many families are left facing uncertainty. That’s why, since 2015, Food Banks Canada has teamed up with Subway Canada to help fill the gap with their After the Bell (ATB) snack program. Community Care is grateful to offer this additional support, allowing us to ensure youth in our community receive the nourishment and care they need—even when school is out.
Through this program, support is provided in two ways. The first is through receipt of food packs, and the second is the receipt of monetary support that enables us to purchase bulk perishable food items. This year, we have received 1,120 healthy non-perishable food packs. These packs include child-friendly nutritious food such as snacks, protein, and breakfast foods. With the direct funding we received, we have purchased bulk perishable foods including cheese and yogurt, which are then added to the food packs. With this program, we are able to provide additional support to 1 in 4 of our children accessing our services.