School Breakfast Program: More Than Breakfast: Changing Lives Every Morning

Every school day in Ottawa, a student walks into school tired, distracted, and hungry. They haven’t eaten yet. The morning has already been a rush—getting out the door, helping siblings, or simply facing the reality that there was not enough food at home.

They head to their School Breakfast Program and waiting for them is fresh fruit, a whole grain muffin, cheese and crackers, a hard-boiled egg. They take a seat. Their energy returns. The day begins to feel manageable.

This is the impact of the people who support the Ottawa Network for Education’s School Breakfast Program. Every school day this program reaches more than 18,000 students across Ottawa in all publicly funded school boards.

In one Ottawa school, a principal is noticing a difference in his students.

“… Students are coming each morning to get food and for some this is the most nutritious food they get all day. They are excited to see the selection of dairy and fresh fruits. This has also had several secondary impacts as we are now able to see who may need more support, students are connecting with office staff in positive ways, and we are able to ensure that the students that were previously unseen are supported in other ways (e.g., trips, school spirit wear). We are also starting to see more students focussed on their learning and feeling more comfortable coming later in the day when they are hungry and sharing this with us. This program changes lives and will continue to impact our community in ways that we haven’t even thought of yet.”

School Breakfast Programs don’t just fill stomachs. They create space for students to show up as their best selves. Because sometimes, the difference between struggling and thriving begins with something as simple as a nutritious breakfast.

The Ottawa Network for Education (ONFE) is Ottawa’s school food partner and the Ontario government’s agency, co-delivering student nutrition programs for nearly 40 years.

Learn how you can support Ottawa’s school-aged children and youth through the School Breakfast Program, at www.onfe-rope.ca.