CEC students fill a need
Lunch program launched at Truro high school
A small group of students at Cobequid Educational Centre are putting effort into making sure their classmates don’t go hungry. They’ve organized a lunch program that runs three days a week.
“At first, I thought about a breakfast program, but teachers said there’s more need for a lunch program,” said Zoe Morgan. “If people don’t have food it impacts the ability to concentrate and learn.”
The students applied for a micro grant through the TakingItglobal program, which supports youth efforts for positive change. In mid-march, they were informed they would receive $750, and on April 16 the program was launched.
“At first, we didn’t get many people and we used to have a lot of food left,” said Erin Shala. “One day there was only one person, but we usually get 25 to 30 now.
“Sometimes you just forget to bring lunch money, so if this wasn’t here people wouldn’t have anything to eat when that happens. This is very good quality food, and people have told us this is amazing, and they thank us.”
Food is prepared through the Career Exploration Program (CEP), which is based at the back of the school and does catering.
“A lot of people think only student council presidents or teachers can implement programs like this,” said Zoe. “We’re just regular students who saw a need. When you see a problem and come up with a solution, it’s really satisfying.”