News from Manitoba: School feeding program expanded

As children head back to school for a new school year, the Manitoba government is making sure no one goes without food.

Premier Wab Kinew announced Thursday that the school snack feeding program will now be available in every school in Manitoba.

“We are putting the money and support to work to ensure that every child who goes to school does not go to school hungry,” Kinew said during the announcement.

“They can learn, have fun during recess, read books in the library and concentrate on everything else because they had a snack in the morning and lunch during the day.”

The program, which was announced in the 2024 budget, will cost $30 million. Of that funding, $21 million is earmarked for the province’s 37 school divisions, while $6 million will go to schools with high socioeconomic need.

Sandra Herbst, principal and general manager of the River East-Transcona School Division, said she spoke to students about the importance of school meals on the first day of school Wednesday.

“If you eat good food, you stay healthy and have enough energy so you’re not too tired to run around, especially in physical education,” Herbst said. “And if you eat regularly, you don’t have to eat too much at one time because you’re not sure when you’re going to eat again.”

Herbst said the students’ words reminded her that access to healthy food is a necessity.

“Together we invest in the well-being of our students, and when we do that, we invest in their future,” she said.