The Breakfast Club, which feeds some 580,000 children every morning across the country, says it is having difficulty maintaining its programs, in part due to rising food prices. The organization anticipates a shortfall of several million dollars.
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“Our spending on food, equipment and transportation is growing at a faster rate than our income, and breakfast programs are becoming more expensive to maintain,” said Tommy Kulczyk, president and CEO of the Club des petits lunches, by press release Monday.
The organization, which launches its annual fundraising campaign on Monday, estimates that it will have difficulty maintaining its support for existing breakfast programs in Quebec during the next school year.
“These steep cost increases are having a significant impact on Club operations and in the absence of a national school feeding program and temporary emergency assistance from governments, the nutrition ecosystem education is even more dependent on individual and corporate contributions.
According to its revenue projections, to maintain its aid to school nutrition programs already supported in part by the Club, the organization anticipates a shortfall of a few million dollars for the 2022-2023 school year.
“To date, no new additional breakfast program can be supported by the Club in a school in the next school year in Quebec, even if the demand is growing,” said the organization. who says he has “more than ever […] need for support from public and private sector donors”.
The Club and its many partners currently reach more than 79,500 children each morning in more than 500 school nutrition programs in Quebec, and 580,000 children across the country.