Feed the Meter for Food for Learning

Shoppers and visitors to downtown Picton, Belleville and Trenton will raise funds for student nutrition programs when they feed money into parking meters.

Parking is free of charge during December in the downtowns, however, visitors and shoppers are invited to put their change in a parking meter, as a donation to Food for Learning.  Campaign signs are hung on each parking meter.

“Hastings and Prince Edward counties has the second highest rate of food insecurity in the province of Ontario. Food for Learning programs are necessary for the students in our area.  We know that children learn better when they are properly nourished.  By providing a breakfast, snack or lunch to a student who would otherwise go without, we help improve their ability to concentrate and focus on their learning, leading to increased chance of success at school,” says Maribeth deSnoo, Executive Director of The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation.  “The benefits of participating in a student nutrition program are immeasurable.  Many students depend on our programs for their daily nutrition.  Feed the Meter allows us to continue to provide quality food choices for all students.”

Students participate in Food for Learning programs for a variety of reasons – poverty and food insecurity being just one of them.  Long bus rides, busy mornings, early morning sports practice, lack of appetite first thing in the morning are a few other very valid reasons why students arrive at school hungry.  Regardless of the reason, all students are welcome.  Children and youth each deserve regular access to nutritious food  and having healthy meals and snacks at school on a daily basis will increase their chance of success in the classroom.

“In Hastings and Prince Edward counties, thousands of children are attending school hungry every day,” says deSnoo. “Food for Learning programs in local public and Catholic schools minimize that hunger by providing breakfast, snack and lunch programs to their students.  Children and youth require adequate nutrition in order to maximize their learning in the classroom.  Through Food for Learning programs, they have access to healthy food that they need to learn, grow and thrive.”

Programs are available in almost every school in the district and this school year, 154 breakfast, lunch and snack programs are being offered throughout Hastings and Prince Edward counties.  Between September and June, 800,000 meals and snacks will be served to more than 11,000 children and youth.

Food for Learning’s annual Feed the Meter campaign raises funds to support local breakfast, snack and lunch programs.  All proceeds will be returned to the schools in the communities where the funds were raised and will be used to purchase groceries for the various programs in those communities.

This year’s goal for the Feed the Meter campaign is $30,000.  Feed the Meter when visiting downtown Picton, Belleville or Trenton. Donations can be mailed or delivered to:
Food for Learning
c/o The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation
156 Ann Street
Belleville, ON    K8N 3L3
(Make cheques payable to The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation)

Sponsoring this event in Picton are the Prince Edward Federation of Agriculture, Prinzen Ford, and the Rotary Club of Picton.