No child should go hungry.
That is the philosophy behind the FCSS Hot Lunch Program at Barrhead Elementary School.
The program started more than 10 years ago at BES when a FCSS worker visited the school and noticed that there were a number of students who either didn’t have a lunch or had one that was inadequate.
At first FCSS sent food to the school from the food bank, but now the lunches are prepared on site in the school’s kitchen for a nominal fee of $2.75 each.
Depending on the day, the menu changes and can range from anything from soup and chili, to pasta and salads.
However, Sandy McCarthy, FCSS Hot Lunch Program co-ordinator and head cook, said she is concerned about the future of the program.
“The price of food is really becoming a big issue,” she said, adding that she may have to dramatically increase the price of the lunches to the point where many students or parents could no longer afford it.
When McCarthy took over the program four years ago she could buy a warehouse pack of ground beef for about $13. Now that same pack is more than $30.
“I’m doing everything I can, to try to stretch the food budget, but I’m not sure how much longer I can do it without increasing the price or having the quality of the meals drop dramatically.”
For example, to make her budget go further she has reduced the amount of meat in her chili
“I have reduced the amount of meat that I use in my chili, pasta and soup recipes and added more vegetables and fruit,” she said, adding that isn’t much help because they too have increased in price.
For example celery, which is a staple in many of McCarthy’s dishes, used to cost $6 a case, it now sells for $15.
Besides cutting down on the amount of meat in her recipes, McCarthy has also changed her shopping habits.
In the past, she used to do a large portion of her shopping daily, but because of the price of groceries she mainly shops weekly and in bulk. McCarthy was also forced to layoff the program’s only other employee.
“We loved our helper that we had, but we really can’t afford two people with the current cost of food,” she said, adding that she is hoping to make up the labour shortfall with volunteers.
Currently, two volunteers have agreed to help for two to three hours, two days a week. McCarthy is also looking into the possibility of having some high school students help out as part of their work experience.
McCarthy is also quick to point out that the local grocery stores are not to blame for the increase in food prices.
“Freson Bros. and the Co-op have been wonderful. They have allowed me to buy in cases,” she said, adding that both stores often sell her items at cost.
“It is just the cost of meat that is really killing us. I would love to be able to give the kids roast beef on a bun, but I don’t think I will be able to this year because the price of the beef alone would be more than what I bring in lunch fees.”
Besides lunch, breakfast cereal, milk, and granola bars, along with assorted fruits, are available to any student, thanks to funding from the Breakfast for Learning program.
To help make sure the program stays affordable, McCarthy is hoping that the community will step forward with either monetary donations or products in kind.
Last year 180 students signed up for the program and out of those about 30 were subsidized in full or in part by FCSS, she said.
“What really would be wonderful is that if there was a person or company that could donate in full or in part a side of beef,” she said, adding that a business in town has offered to package the beef if they receive a side of beef.
McCarthy is hopeful that a solution will be found because she believes the program is needed more than ever.
Ros Rudd, FCSS community and development co-ordinator, said the increase in grocery prices couldn’t come at a worse time for many families.
Due to the economic downturn in the province, she said there are a number of families feeling the pinch.
“Just like Sandy is finding, they can’t buy as much in the grocery store, people are finding their food budgets being stretched to the limit, to the point where they are not able to provide lunches and breakfasts to their children on a semi-regular basis,” Rudd said.
McCarthy agreed, saying she has received calls from parents asking her if she could give their child lunch, adding that is why she always makes sure she has a supply of breakfast cereal, milk, granola bars and assorted fruit on hand for any student who hasn’t had breakfast.
“A lot of teachers have told me that they can see the difference when a student has a granola bar or a bowl of cereal before class, especially if they haven’t had breakfast,” she said. “It just gives them that added bit of energy so they can learn.”
For more information about the Hot Lunch program or to volunteer or donate contact Barrhead and District FCSS at 780-674-3341.
