By Haylee Dianne
The Grande Prairie & District Education Foundation is providing after-school snack packs to school-age children experiencing food insecurity.
The program provides participating children with a week’s supply of nutritious snacks at no cost to their families.
The Foundation recently moved into a kitchen at 113-9505 68 Avenue in Grande Prairie after losing its previous kitchen space. Production of the snack packs is now underway.
“For a child, a snack pack means knowing there will be something to eat when they get home. For a parent, it can mean one less worry while trying to stretch groceries until payday,” said Kari Prichard, executive director.
The Foundation has a long history of helping provide food to students during the school day. For more than a decade, its in-school nutrition efforts supported GP Catholic Schools, with more than 100,000 meals provided annually through community and organizational support.
With school districts now receiving provincial and federal funding for their own in-school nutrition programs, the Foundation has shifted its focus to helping children access food after they leave school.
“But hunger doesn’t end when the school bell rings,” Prichard said.
The program is available to families in Grande Prairie and nearby communities who are experiencing food insecurity and have school-age children. Children can attend schools in any of the area’s school divisions.
Families can contact the Foundation at info@educationfoundation.ca to request an order form. Orders must be submitted by Wednesday for pickup the following Tuesday.
The snacks vary from week to week. The menu includes homemade foods, fruit, vegetables and filling snacks, with examples including pizza buns, muffins, cookies, naans, cheese quesadillas, meat and cheese with crackers, apples, oranges, grapes and carrot sticks.
The Foundation’s goal is to provide 100 snack packs each week, although the number it can provide depends on available funding.
“Behind every request is a family trying to make things work. Housing, utilities, transportation and groceries can leave little room for unexpected expenses. A parent may be doing everything they can and still need help putting enough food on the table,” Prichard said.
The Foundation’s Board of Directors brings more than 65 combined years of volunteer service to the Foundation. The Foundation also relies on support from community members, sponsors and corporate donors.
Prichard said she has applied for several community, provincial and federal grants, but ongoing community donations will help maintain the program.
The Foundation is seeking financial support to help cover the cost of the weekly snack packs. A $15 donation provides one child with a week of after-school snacks, while $150 supports 10 snack packs. A $1,500 donation could support 100 packs for one week.
The Foundation recently received a $5,000 donation from the Swan City Rotary Club, which it said is enough to provide more than 300 snack packs.
“We have the commitment and a kitchen ready to serve. What we need is reliable funding to keep those packs going out each week,” Prichard said.
The Foundation is also seeking volunteers to help prepare, package and distribute the food. Two staff members currently manage operations, with volunteers helping with the program.
The Foundation also plans to introduce a “Buy One, Give One” opportunity, allowing community members to purchase a weekly snack pack for $30 while providing a second pack to a student in need.
“Our plea is simple: please help us build enough support that we don’t have to turn away a child who needs us,” Prichard said.
