Food4Kids Waterloo Region helping more than 1,500 children during summer break

A program that keeps kids fed outside of the classroom needs help. CTV’s Spencer Turcotte explains.

When the school year ends, thousands of children across Waterloo Region lose access to the breakfasts, lunches and snacks they depend on during the school day.

To help fill that gap, Food4Kids Waterloo Region is delivering food directly to the homes of 1,572 children every day throughout the summer break. The organization said demand continues to outpace its resources, with 267 children currently on a wait list.

Executive director Faune Lang said the program provides enough food for each day.

“Every single day in the summer, for nine weeks, we’re feeding children at their doorsteps three meals a day and snacks for 1,572 children,” Lang said.

Volunteers spend their days packing boxes with proteins, grains, fruits, vegetables and shelf-stable milk before loading the food into vehicles for delivery across the region.

Lang said the organization’s approach is unique because families receive food every day while school is out.

“Other organizations take a break or only serve up to five days worth of food in the summer, and we’re serving every single day,” she said.

The operation relies heavily on volunteers, including Sawyer Payette, who said helping ensure children have enough to eat is what motivates him.

“It means a lot to me to be able to help all of Kitchener and Waterloo Region,” Payette said. “I don’t think it should be right that some kids go to bed hungry and some kids don’t.”

His father, Phil Shuh, also volunteers with the program. As an employee at Franklin Public School, he said he regularly sees how hunger affects students in the classroom.

“They’re not able to focus as much. They’re having a rough go of it,” Shuh said. “Especially when you’re young and growing.”

Despite serving a record number of children, Lang said the organization is unable to help every child.

“They’ve been identified, but we don’t have the funds to support them at this time,” she said.

Food4Kids Waterloo Region receives no government funding and said its summer program is made possible through donations and volunteers.

“We rely on our community, our generous supporters and our volunteers who allow our mission to really shine,” Lang said.

The organization is encouraging people interested in volunteering or supporting the program financially to contact Food4Kids Waterloo Region or make a donation online.