DUNCAN, B.C. – With the support of Concentra and EQ Bank’s Empowering Your Community grant program, Island Savings, a division of First West Credit Union, is pleased to announce that they’ve been awarded $10,000 to support the Nanaimo-Ladysmith Schools Foundation’s (NLSF) Food4Schools initiative. This program addresses the urgent issue of food insecurity among students, ensuring vulnerable children have access to nutritious meals every day.
Each year, Concentra and EQ Bank collaborate with Canadian credit unions through the “Empowering Your Community” grant program which selects deserving initiatives to improve mental health, housing, Indigenous resurgence, and food security. Since 2011, it has awarded over $2 million to credit unions, significantly impacting communities across Canada.
This year, Island Savings, in partnership with NLSF, applied for an Empowering Your Community grant to support NLSF’s Food4Schools program.
“Food security is something that is deeply important to our organization, and given the rising cost of food, it continues to be a real challenge in our communities,” says Kendall Gross, President at Island Savings. “We owe a great debt of gratitude for the important work that NLSF undertakes in ensuring vulnerable students have access to healthy meals and snacks— thanks to them and to our friends at Concentra/EQ Bank for supporting this cause that is near and dear to us.”
NLSF works directly with all schools to help them provide healthy meals and snacks to vulnerable students. Since September 2023, Food4Schools has provided 85,000 pre-made breakfasts and lunches to students in 33 elementary schools, as well as weekly groceries to both elementary and high schools in the district.
Ensuring consistent access to nutritious meals at school is crucial not only for students’ physical health but also for their academic performance and overall well-being. The Food4Schools program plays a pivotal role in mitigating hunger, providing balanced diets, and fostering a supportive learning environment.
“We know that as high as 20% of the student population, an additional 900 students, are currently experiencing food insecurity and anticipate the need will continue to rise,” says Crystal Dennison, Executive Director of NLSF. “In Nanaimo, a staggering 14.5% of children already grapple with poverty, as highlighted by the BC Child Poverty Report Card. This sobering statistic underscores the urgent need for initiatives like Food4Schools to bridge the gap and ensure that no child goes hungry.”
To learn more about the Food4Schools initiative, visit: www.nlsf.ca/food4schools