NWHU and KPDSB – Making Healthy Food Accessible Together
We know that healthy food helps students learn and reach their full potential at school. Education matters—there is a link between levels of education (years of schooling or the number of degrees obtained) and health. The Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) and KPDSB have a shared goal to increase student awareness and access to healthy food, and provide hands-on experiential learning that supports healthy eating. In the 2018-19 school year, the following healthy eating programs were offered:
Student Nutrition Program
All schools access funding to offer a healthy meal or snack program at school, free of charge for all students. Programs are community-driven initiatives, often run by volunteers and supported by NWHU. Each program is tailored to the particular needs of local children, youth and families. In 2018/19 schools received over $133,000 to purchase healthy food and beverages, and approximately 2,100 students were using the program on average per day. NWHU also bulk purchased healthy food for schools including apples, carrots, whole wheat baking mixes and more.
Northern Fruit and Vegetable Program (NFVP)
All elementary schools received two servings of fresh fruit or vegetables per student delivered to their school each week from January to June, 2019. The goal is to Increase consumption and awareness of fruits and vegetables among elementary school students in Northern Ontario, and provide resources to children and their families around the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption and regular physical activity for good health and the prevention of chronic diseases. Approximately 2,900 students participated in NFVP in 2018/19. Schools were surveyed on the program impact, and 97% agreed that it increased fruit and vegetable consumption among students!
You’re the Chef (YTC) Program
YTC is a cooking program that focuses on increasing vegetable and fruit intake, and encourages lifelong healthy eating habits in young people. The goal of YTC is to help youth develop the skills and confidence to prepare healthy and tasty recipes. NWHU provides training for leaders to implement the program in classroom or community settings. In 2018/19, 13 new staff were trained (bringing the total number of KPDSB staff trained to 24). Several YTC programs ran in classroom settings with support from NHWU.
Nutrition on Weekends (NOW)
NOW is a targeted program to increase food availability and nutrition on weekends for students experiencing poverty. Other goals include improving school attendance and educational outcomes, support healthy growth and development, and reduce the occurrence of chronic disease related to undernourishment. NWHU provides program guidance and financial assistance through grants, and it is implemented in locally by schools and community partnerships. Approximately 35 students in 3 different communities benefitted from the NOW program in 2018/19. Additional funding was secured for program expansion in 2019/20.
