Hot lunch program goes ahead despite challenges

BARRHEAD-No child should go to school hungry.

That is the philosophy behind Barrhead and District Family Support Services (FCSS) hot lunch program at Barrhead Elementary School (BES).

The program was started more than 15 years ago when an FCSS worker visited the school and noticed several students either had no lunch or one that was inadequate.

In the initial years, FCSS sent food to the school, but it has grown to the point where the lunches are created on-site in the school's kitchen.

Due to the uncertainty in the school, FCSS hot lunch program coordinator Sandy McCarthy was not sure if the program would be able to continue due to restrictions on who can enter the school due to the coronavirus.

However, she was excited to learn that the program, with a few modifications, will continue.

McCarthy delivered her first meals to classrooms on Oct. 5.

Once she learned that FCSS would be able to continue the program, she sent out a sample menu to parents to gauge their response.

"I knew I would be getting the same numbers," she said, acknowledging that there would parents who be looking to other education options outside of the traditional school building.

Pembina Hills School Division enrolment is down over 400 students across the division compared to their spring projections.

However, despite that fact, more than 100 students have signed up for the program in the first month.

Part of the reason McCarthy believes the program is so popular is that she can provide nutritious meals at a reasonable cost. For the last several years, the rate has been set at $3 per meal. For parents who are not able to afford the fee, FCSS has subsidy program available.

She added that it is getting increasingly difficult to keep the price of meals affordable, given the rise in food cost, noting she has especially noticed an increase in grocery prices since the start of the pandemic.

"I'm going to have to be on my toes in what I order," McCarthy said.

Adding to her budgetary problems, due to COVID restrictions, a lot of the items she needs for the meals can no longer buy in bulk.

"They have to be portioned and they are all expensive," she said.

COVID safeguards also change how she will prepare the lunches. To limit the number of people in the school, McCarthy will be able to have one assistant, four days a week, and a long-time volunteer for the remaining day.

"That is an extra cost as well," she said, noting the assistant was paid.

McCarthy said an assistant was necessary, not only because of the work needed to prepare over 100 meals, as well as the extra cleaning protocols but because the school is limiting the number of volunteers who can enter the school.

McCarthy noted because the people the program can bring into the school is restricted to the same personnel, there is the possibility that it might be disrupted at any time.

"It is a school, someone inevitably is going to get sick. If it is me the program would be suspended until I can return," she said, noting the school would give parents as much advanced warning as possible and that they would receive a credit for any missed lunches.

Breakfast program

In addition to the hot lunch program, McCarthy will be heading up the school's breakfast program. In the 2016/17 school year Alberta Education initiated the $3.5 million School Nutrition Program pilot program in 33 elementary schools across 14 school divisions. In 2017, the program was expanded to include all school divisions.

Besides providing various hot breakfasts, through the program, she will make other food and snacks available such as cereal, muffins, granola bars and assorted fruit.

Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com