The Feeding our Future Emergency Lunch program is a vital service for Prince Albert students.
The Saskatchewan Rivers School Division board of education recognized the partners for their decade of service during their regular meeting on Monday.
Representatives from the program partners, which include Lakeland Ford, Lakeland Hyundai, Broda Group, Lake Country Co-op, Conexus Credit Union and B&B Construction, were on hand to receive plaques recognizing the 10 years of the program.
Tim Keller, CEO of Lake Country Co-op speaking for the five organizations said that it was nice to receive recognition for the program.
” It is nice to see that your efforts are appreciated by the Board of Directors. The group of five has seen a need in the community for many years and come together as a group to say what can we do and that’s why we’re here doing what we do”
The program serves students in both the Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division and Prince Albert Catholic School Division. It provides emergency lunches to all children in need, from Kindergarten through Grade 8.
On Dec. 5, 2016, Lakeland Ford, Lakeland Hyundai, the Broda Group and Lakeland Co-op collaborated to start the initiative. Conexus Credit Union came aboard in 2019. Keller said the idea came about because of the need in Prince Albert.
“It originated by a couple individuals seeing some need locally in their community and in the individual schools. And then business partners just got together, started talking and said, ‘how can we help?’,” Keller said.
Each lunch package includes the items to make a sandwich, a piece of fruit and yogurt.
Keller said that the partners all see the one need for nutrition in schools.
“I would say all five partners in the program are very unified in how they wanted to approach the program and address the need,” Keller said.
Since the program’s inception, over 550,000 meals have been distributed in Prince Albert across both Saskatchewan Rivers and the Prince Albert Catholic School Division.
“Just over 550,000 lunches have been served to date across both school divisions, which total is just under $1.2 million,” Keller said.
Keller noted that the five businesses all come from different areas of business, but all see the necessity.
“We’re all part of the community and every one of these businesses plays a vital role in the community and sees the need in the community, and that’s really why we’ve all stepped up to help,” Keller said.
Representatives received plaques from Vice Chair Alan Nunn as a token of appreciation. Saskatchewan Rivers director of education Neil Finch said that there was a few reasons why the recognition was exciting for the division.
“When you think about 10 years of a partnership of feeding students within this community, and that’s for all school divisions, they help students, not just the Sask Rivers piece, but just the ability for our businesses to step up and help our families in need is pretty amazing,” Finch said.
Finch said operating the program for 10 years, serving more than 550,000 lunches amounting to over $1 million was a great representation for Prince Albert.
“That’s pretty amazing,” Finch said.
“And I think that there’s pride in the businesses that are helping out and you could see that in them coming to the board meeting to be recognized and that was important too,” Finch said.
Keller said that the need is there, but it would be great to not see the need for such a program.
“We all would love to see the need disappear, but the reality is that’s probably not likely to happen in the near future, so that’s why we’re going to continue with the program for in the next foreseeable future,” Keller said.
Keller said every part of the program helps to make Feeding our Future such a success in Prince Albert.
“I do want to say that all the partners have been really great to work alongside of all of them. All have a kind of, I would say, a common vision to the community. So really good people involved,” Keller said.
“And don’t forget the school divisions because they’re vital in delivering the program.
And without the boots on the ground in the schools, the program wouldn’t be able to happen,” he added.
