Nutrition for Learning, in partnership with the Waterloo Region District School Board, is running a Meal Mission Fundraising Campaign this month to support student health.
The campaign calls on residents throughout the region to make donations to help fund its nutrition programs.
Through its work, Nutrition for Learning aims to ensure food is accessible in schools to promote optimal wellbeing, healthy relationships and food literacy. The nutrition programs remove barriers to healthy food for students in need.
A one-time donation of $20 can provide 15 meals featuring fresh produce, protein and whole grains, and $20 a month can serve over 180 meals to students throughout the whole year.
Food insecurity over the past few years has been no secret.
The recent Hunger Report released by Feed Ontario states that 800,822 people across the province have accessed a food bank between Apr. 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023, totalling 5,888,685 visits.
It's an increase of unique individual by 38 per cent from the previous year, the highest single year increase ever reported and double of what was seen after the 2008 recession.
Locally, more people are accessing the Cambridge Food Bank. According to its data, it's seen a 36 per cent increase in new households using its services compared to the same time last year.
The WRDSB is accepting donations through its website, with 100 per cent of the funds being directed into the school board's system.
Donations can be made here until Dec. 22.