Major donation to help food programming in Seven Oaks School Division

The Schroeder Foundation is donating $1.5 million to Seven Oaks School Division to help enhance school nutrition.

A local philanthropic organization is donating $1.5 million to improve food programming and infrastructure in the Seven Oaks School Division.

The Schroeder Foundation, in partnership with Terra Bay Food Services, announced the money on Wednesday, saying the initial investment will ensure students have what they need to learn and grow.

“That [money] is to re-equip their kitchen facilities, to provide extra food on top of what the province and the federal government supplies and also to provide some wraparound supports,” said Duane Brothers, a spokesperson for the foundation’s Winnipeg initiatives.

The $1.5 million will be distributed, largely to Garden City Collegiate and Elwick Community School, in the following manner:

• $300,000 for a universal food program kitchen at Garden City Collegiate.
• $250,000 to redevelop culinary classrooms at Garden City Collegiate.
• $70,000 to strengthen food program and improve equipment at Elwick Community School.
• $270,000 to provide 160 weekly food hampers for families in the Seven Oaks School Division.
• $200,000 for kitchen equipment for Garden City Collegiate.

The rest of the money will go toward subsidized meals, outreach supports for absenteeism, and operations, staffing and food costs.

“This is where the heart is of Walter and Maria Schroeder,” Brothers said, referring to the founders of the Schroder Foundation.

“They don’t have to do this. They are philanthropists. They’ve made a lot of money and now they want to give back to the community, just like their high school principal did for them many, many years ago.”

The Schroeder Foundation noted that the $1.5 million is an approximate donation for the 2026/2027 school year. Exact costs will be determined depending on program demand and rising food costs.

The foundation added that infrastructure and equipment upgrades will start next month, with the food hamper program set to begin in July.