156 schools without cafeteria service in N.L.
Third-party operators leaving schools due to low sales, School Lunch Assocation stepping in to fill the gaps
While sending their kids to school with a packed lunch isn't a big deal for many families, for those struggling to make ends meet, the convenience of a cafeteria service is leaving their children hungry in class.
Currently, more than half of schools in Newfoundland and Labrador –– 156 out of 253 schools –– are without cafeteria service.
And in some cases, teachers are the ones being left to fill the gaps.
OFF-AND-ON CAFETERIA SERVICES
In St. John's metro, Beaconsfield Junior High has primarily been without a cafeteria service since September 2022.
In December 2022, Chartwells serviced the school for seven school days (Dec. 7-16). There was no cafeteria service during the months prior due to staffing issues and kitchen upgrades.
In an email, parents were informed on Dec. 18, 2022, that cafeteria services would return after Christmas break on Jan. 3, 2023.
Chartwells offered off-andon cafeteria services from January to April until parents were finally informed on April 30 that Chartwells was pulling its services for the remainder of the school year due to low sales.
Since then, there's been nothing.
Beaconsfield, alongside other schools in St. John's Metro, including Holy Heart of Mary High School and Holy Trinity High School, issued Requests for Proposals (RFPS) over the summer for cafeteria services to operate in the 2023-2024 school year.
Many had no luck.
TEACHERS LEFT TO FILL GAPS
One teacher at Beaconsfield Junior High told SaltWire that, in many cases, teachers have been left to fill the gaps as they try to find ways to feed the hungry children they have to teach.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Teacher's Association (NLTA) couldn't comment because they said they haven't received any calls on the issue.
Meanwhile, some community partners, such as Starbucks on Topsail Road in St. John’s, are donating sandwiches as part of their community engagement. Other companies sometimes donate bananas for the kids.
SCHOOL LUNCH ASSOCIATION
Janessa Hand told SaltWire that their children’s school doesn’t have a school lunch program. Some parents will volunteer, but that’s not always possible.
Another parent, Jeannette Lawless, wishes her child’s school offered some lunch program. She said it’s the same thing over and over when packing lunches.
“There are a lot of schools in N.L. that have no cafeteria. It’s beyond sad,” Lawless said.
Others experienced cafeteria service providers change at their children’s school, many switching from Chartwells to the School Lunch Association. This charity provides a hot, nutritious lunch for school children, regardless of a family’s financial situation.
Parents on the Parents Helping Parents with Everyday Questions on Parenting N.L. Facebook page gave the School Lunch Association mixed reviews.
Some commentators said the program isn’t ideal for picky eaters, and not all were keen on paying for food in advance –– but the program is better than having nothing at all.
ONLY 97 SCHOOLS WITH CAFETERIA SERVICES
The Department of Education confirmed that the School Lunch Association operates in 44 schools across the province. Fifty-three schools have a third-party caterer.
The department said it is working to improve food security by prioritizing income-based initiatives, including support for families with children by providing additional funding to ensure school food programs are available in all Pre-kindergarten and K-9 schools under a new Poverty Reduction Plan announced in November 2023.
NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM
On Wednesday, March 6, Canada’s NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh called for a National School Lunch program to be implemented in the upcoming federal budget to be released on April 16, 2024.
Canada is the only G7 country without a National School Food Program.
“Parents are doing everything they can to take care of their kids, but the cost of food just keeps going up. In a country as rich as ours, no child should ever have to go to school hungry,” said Singh.
“While parents make big sacrifices to keep food on the table, grocery store CEOS like Galen Weston are making record profits at Canadians’ expense,” Singh said.
NDP candidate for St. John’s Mary Shortall believes this move will help Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who are struggling with the rising cost of food.
“Nearly one-quarter of Newfoundlanders are food insecure, the highest rate of food insecurity in Canada. Programs like these will be an immediate lift for families who are stuck wondering how they are going to keep their child fed,” Shortall said.
“Canada as a country is too rich to simply turn a blind eye to kids who are forced to go hungry.”