Food security for families is an ongoing issue in the Comox Valley and beyond. The Record is compiling a series on the subject, focusing on school programs and initiatives. This is Part 1 of the series.
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Despite a by the province, parents across the Comox Valley are increasingly struggling to feed their children.
The Feeding Futures funding, initiated by B.C.B次元官网网址檚 Ministry of Education, allocated $3.42 million over three years - - to the Comox Valley school district (SD 71).
Upon receiving the funds in September 2023, the district was tasked with providing meals for a minimum of 20 per cent of its students, with 30 per cent of the food sourced locally within the province.
The governmentB次元官网网址檚 decision came after years of advocating for the development of a universal food program. As of today, .
Despite this good news, many families still havenB次元官网网址檛 seen improvements.
Last August, that the Comox Valley Food Bank noted a 64 per cent increase in service users in 2023. More than 34,000 people crossed the organizationB次元官网网址檚 doors - 30 per cent of which were children below the age of 18.
For Caroline (named changed for privacy), a self-employed single mother of three, every week presents a challenge to put food on the table for her family and make ends meet.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just watching the (food) prices go higher. Milk, along with other things, is the most recent (item) IB次元官网网址檝e taken off our shopping list,B次元官网网址� said the mother. B次元官网网址淲e buy meat if itB次元官网网址檚 on sale, but typically even at sale prices, itB次元官网网址檚 expensive. (ItB次元官网网址檚 challenging to find things) the kids will eat and I try not to overload them with cheap foods.B次元官网网址�
Alexandra (named changed for privacy), a mother of two autistic children with strict dietary restrictions - one has celiac disease, the other has type one diabetes - faces similar struggles.
B次元官网网址淵esterday, I paid over $700 for two weeks of groceries and that probably wonB次元官网网址檛 last us the full two weeks. WeB次元官网网址檒l still have to do smaller shopping. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a lot of money and not a lot of people (can afford this.) Even for me whoB次元官网网址檚 working 30 hours a week, thatB次元官网网址檚 a lot.
B次元官网网址淢y husband and I definitely struggle. A good amount of our income (goes to) gluten-free and diabetic-friendly food. We pretty much eat whatB次元官网网址檚 left over. We donB次元官网网址檛 get to have our choices and what we would like to eat. We donB次元官网网址檛 go out for drinks or special food.B次元官网网址�
Both mothers recognized the presence of food programs in their childrenB次元官网网址檚 respective schools but mentioned having difficulties in knowing about and accessing them.
Alexandra, who works as an SD71 educational assistant told the Record that she has not noticed any improvement since the funding was announced last April, nearly a year ago.
A first step
On Jan. 30, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of its schoolsB次元官网网址� food programs, along with recommendations for investing Feeding FuturesB次元官网网址� money.
The document determined that 16 per cent of the regionB次元官网网址檚 8,817 students, across 22 schools, benefit in some way from nutritional support.
For SD 71 superintendent Jeremy Morrow, things are progressing smoothly and according to plan.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been great as a new superintendent to the Comox Valley to observe the incredible work (of) volunteers (and) committed staff to provide food at our schools already,B次元官网网址� said Morrow. B次元官网网址淭his additional money is going to really amplify some of the great work thatB次元官网网址檚 already existing in the district.B次元官网网址�
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As the food scan briefly detailed, from the Feeding Futures funding has already been spent (see graph for breakdown).
B次元官网网址淢ore money will be given to schools this year than ever before for food so (people) should be seeing that change now,B次元官网网址� said Morrow. B次元官网网址淔or example, we provide food outside of school hours and we also have Good Food BoxesB次元官网网址� for students and their families on the weekends.B次元官网网址�
However, Morrow pointed out that despite these significant investments, some improvements may not be visible as one of the focus of the food programs is on providing stigma-free services.
In the meantime, the superintendent emphasized that the funding would be allocated transparently.
B次元官网网址�(That $1.14 million will) almost entirely go to food,B次元官网网址� said Morrow. B次元官网网址淭he way in which the account will be spent will be made public. I can assure everyone that more food will be in our studentsB次元官网网址� bellies for sure.B次元官网网址�
The Record reached out to an SD 71 principal to know more about the Feeding Futures funding but was redirected to the school districtB次元官网网址檚 communications department, which declined to provide additional information.
House of cards
According to the SD 71 report, food programs are B次元官网网址渕ostly powered by volunteers and (lacks any kind of) central co-ordination.B次元官网网址� Schools without dedicated cooking facilities therefore depend on the help of intricate parent-led initiatives and external non-profits, all working independently from the district.
Acknowledging the efforts of dedicated parents and volunteers, local farmer and former Parent Advisory Council member Arzeena Hamir claims that the current decentralized approach adopted by SD 71 is inherently precarious.
B次元官网网址淥ne of the main issues with many of the parent-run programs is that they all rely on volunteers. ItB次元官网网址檚 not a sustainable model because itB次元官网网址檚 getting harder and harder for parents to volunteer their time,B次元官网网址� said Hamir. B次元官网网址淭hey have to work and the cost of living has gone through the roof. To be able to volunteer means you have a high amount of privilege.B次元官网网址�
Having co-ordinated , she observed an issue with the SD 71 that she said persists to this day.
B次元官网网址淲hen we saw the Feeding Futures funding coming, we were so happy. But then (we were wondering) what was going on with the money,B次元官网网址� said Hamir.
B次元官网网址�(Ever since SD 71 received the funding), itB次元官网网址檚 just been radio silence. The school district doesnB次元官网网址檛 communicate very well (and) has a very difficult time collaborating with the community. I think that it has been (this way) for at least the last decade.B次元官网网址�
Currently sitting on the , Hamir welcomed the provinceB次元官网网址檚 investment but remains concerned about the districtB次元官网网址檚 willingness to effectively funnel this much-needed funding to existing initiatives and organizations.
The advocateB次元官网网址檚 apprehension stems from what she perceives as an absence of B次元官网网址渃lear directionB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址渃lear leadership.B次元官网网址� She further noted that while , they are the ones in control of the Feeding Futures funding.
Morrow confirmed this statement.
B次元官网网址淚 understand that the government wanted to give each school district the flexibility to spend the money (according to their) communityB次元官网网址檚 needs, but they gave little to no instructionB次元官网网址� and thereB次元官网网址檚 no consistency across the province,B次元官网网址� said Hamir. B次元官网网址淎 school district like ours seems to just have so much resistance to new things. TheyB次元官网网址檙e not increasing their support to schoolsB次元官网网址� and theyB次元官网网址檝e taken (nearly) a year to figure out whatB次元官网网址檚 happening.B次元官网网址�
Hamir questioned why SD 71 didnB次元官网网址檛 adopt a more targeted and collaborative strategy to increase funding of successful initiatives and non-profits while focusing on implementing new programs in schools lacking the latter.
Game-changing funding
For local non-profit , renowned as one of the regionB次元官网网址檚 leaders in food security efforts for the past two decades, access to this funding could mean the difference between thriving and struggling.
B次元官网网址淲e havenB次元官网网址檛 received any of the Feeding Futures money. Since September, the school district has been giving us sort of month-to-month funding for our Good Food Box programB次元官网网址� but weB次元官网网址檝e been waiting for a plan,B次元官网网址� said Maurita Prato, LUSH ValleyB次元官网网址檚 executive director.
B次元官网网址淲e want to continue (providing) our services and care for the students, but itB次元官网网址檚 quite challenging to not know whether or not weB次元官网网址檒l be able to continue.B次元官网网址�
According to Prato, the past few months have presented the most financially challenging period in her seven-year tenure at LUSH Valley.
Since Morrow was appointed last summer, she has made numerous attempts to meet with the school district, but in vain.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been asking to meet the superintendent since he started - and I understand heB次元官网网址檚 very busy - but I think that would help (us to know that) SD 71 values their relationship with LUSH Valley,B次元官网网址� said Prato. B次元官网网址淲e already have a phenomenal partnership with the Indigenous Education (Department)B次元官网网址� but again, clear, open, and transparent communication would be very helpful.B次元官网网址�
With money from the Feeding Futures funding, the executive director said LUSH Valley could develop a comprehensive food program, increase the number of meals delivered, upgrade its facilities, and provide additional support to parent-led initiatives, among numerous other things.
In other words, make the non-profit a one-stop shop in the Valley for food-related initiatives.
B次元官网网址淭he idea is to be sort of a centralized facility; a hub that brings all the schools up to a certain standard and offers a wide spectrum of services that support each school on an as-needed basis,B次元官网网址� she said.
Ultimately, as noted by Prato, the Feeding Futures program all boils down to providing food for the children. While there may be an initial learning curve for the organization, she is confident that any level of funding, combined with their expertise, could go a long way in achieving this goal.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e a small organization and theyB次元官网网址檙e a large bureaucracy. What might be a small decision for them could be a (game changer) for us.B次元官网网址�
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In the second part of this series, we will explain how SD 79 collaborates with a local food security non-profit to provide nourishment for students.
