Alberta leads Canada in number of students showing up to school hungry: organization

Tens of thousands of kids are showing up to school hungry, as Alberta leads the country in the rate of children living in food insecurity.

Alberta leads the country in the number of students showing up to school hungry, according to the Breakfast Club of Canada.

The program is a volunteer-led organization dedicated to feeding children across Canada a nutritious breakfast in a safe environment.

Eight years ago the program started out feeding 30 children at St. Joseph Catholic High School. Now, it feeds 200 children breakfast every morning.

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Forty per cent of children in Alberta live in a food insecure household, according to the Breakfast Club of Canada. This number increased 30 per cent over the last year.

“We need adequate calories to fuel our brains in the mornings,” Dr. Stephanie Liu, Breakfast Club of Canada ambassador, told CTV News Edmonton at St. Joseph Catholic High School. “It’s absolutely critical for the growth and development of a child.”

The Breakfast Club of Canada says the rise of food costs are leaving every one in three children hungry.

“There’s clearly a need for it,” Liu added.

In a statement to CTV News Edmonton, the ministry of education said:

“We are investing $5 million in food security funding to help ensure food banks can continue to support Albertans in need. Since 2020 Alberta’s government has invested more than $31 million to support food security for Albertans. Additionally, $42 million over three years was secured by the province, for the roll out of the National School Food Program. This funding is also on top of the additional $20 million we are providing annually to support Alberta’s own School Nutrition Program.”

Donations can be made online.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Nicole Lampa