What is School Fuel?

 Barrie Food Bank is excited to continue another year of School Fuel food ordering program in collaboration with the School Nutrition Ontario Central East, our primary sponsor, The Pavlik Foundation and our secondary sponsors The Rotary Club of Barrie, The Rotary Club of Barrie – Kempenfelt, Barrie Huronia Rotary Club and RBC. This innovative program aims to deliver healthy snack foods to school-aged children in Barrie, addressing the critical issue of food insecurity that affects their ability to learn and thrive.

Why?

Numerous studies have shown that when children go to school hungry, it has a profound impact on their energy levels, concentration, creativity, and behavior. Barrie Food Bank recognizes the importance of addressing these challenges head-on by providing nutritious snack options through the School Fuel program.

The School Fuel food ordering program is a vital component in supporting the health and education of students in our community. The carefully curated selection of foods includes whole wheat cereals, bread, bagels, ‘Made Good’ granola bars, banana & blueberry muffins, yogurt, milk (including lactose-free options), cheese, eggs, applesauce, apples, oranges, peaches, and diced pears in fruit cups. Participating schools can select the options they want for their students. This diverse range of items allows children to receive the essential nutrients they need each day.

How?

Barrie Food Bank harnesses the power of volunteers to manage the logistics for the program locally including ordering, procurement, and delivery every two weeks to each participating school. Schools order at  COST PRICE LESS 25%, this discount made possible thanks to our sponsors so that we can help schools stretch their Ministry funding even further to support more children.   Note that Barrie Food Bank does NOT use donated food for this program, it is fully funded by each participating school and secured sponsorships.

Currently, over 8,100 children in 30 local schools in the SCDSB and SMCDSB school boards as well as Conseil Scolaire Viamonde and Simcoe Shores Alternative Schools, are now supported by the program. 

Barrie Food Bank encourages community members, businesses, and organizations to get involved in supporting the School Fuel program. “Together, we can expand the program to more schools and make a meaningful impact on the lives of local children empowering them to reach their full potential.”