Prime Highlights:
The funding will enhance the capacity of organizations to upgrade food preparation spaces, storage, equipment, and transportation, thus strengthening community food security.
The project will direct resources to local communities across Saskatchewan, focusing on addressing barriers to learning, attendance, and school success.
Key Background:
The Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA) announced that it has received a $1 million grant from the federal government, through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s School Food Infrastructure Fund (SFIF), to enhance school food infrastructure across the province. The project, titled Expanding School Food Infrastructure in Saskatchewan: Ensuring Equitable Reach, will allocate funding to eligible organizations involved in providing school food and nutrition programs for children and youth in need.
Dr. Shawn Davidson, President of the SSBA, expressed gratitude for the federal government’s support, emphasizing that the funding will enable resources to reach local communities in Saskatchewan, maximizing the impact on students’ educational experiences. “Supporting school food programs has long been a priority for locally elected school boards, and this initiative offers a new avenue for addressing barriers to learning, attendance, and academic success,” he stated.
The project’s primary objectives include increasing the capacity of organizations to provide or upgrade essential infrastructure, such as food preparation spaces, storage, equipment, and transportation services, ultimately improving the food environment within schools. These enhancements aim to strengthen community food security and ensure children and youth have access to nutritious meals.
Davidson further highlighted the importance of leveraging existing partnerships and programs, which play a critical role in addressing food insecurity among students. “This grant will allow us to build on those efforts, but there is still much work to be done, and Saskatchewan’s communities will be integral in driving this change,” he said. Eligible recipients for the funding include community-based, not-for-profit organizations that are actively involved in school food programs. The SSBA will oversee the progress of the funded activities and provide support through its School Food Roundtable, including key figures such as Kaylee Michnik, the SSBA School Food Programs Researcher, and Kelly Berlinic, who has long advocated for school food grants through the Mosaic School Nutrition Challenge.
