Moms in Action at Avondale Public School

Many thanks to the incredible team of moms at Avondale Public School who help distribute snacks to 1,000 students as part of the Student Nutrition Program, which has now been expanded city-wide.

This is the first year of the city-wide expansion, and there is still much to learn as we work to improve and strengthen the process moving forward.

These volunteers put in tremendous effort each day, including washing and preparing produce, carefully managing allergy restrictions, and organizing classroom snack bins to ensure smooth and efficient delivery across the school. It is a significant undertaking that often takes several hours of dedicated work.

They do this with real love and care, not only for their own children, but for the entire school community.

I have also heard feedback and concern from some parents and volunteers about the sustainability of the program, given the intensive labour required. There is also an important equity consideration, as some schools are able to pay for distribution while others rely entirely on volunteers.

In a previous visit to Lillian Public School, I also witnessed an incredible group of moms who not only serve snacks, but have built a strong and tight knit community through working together each day.

We will be launching a survey to gather feedback from families and volunteers. This input will be shared with Toronto Public Health, which oversees funding distribution to the charities that coordinate the program. The Student Nutrition Program is supported through a combination of municipal, provincial, and federal funding, along with additional fundraising to support schools with greater need.

Thank you again to all the volunteers whose care and commitment make this program possible and help ensure students are supported and ready to learn each day.