Breakfast: That most basic of concepts

Most mornings, Monday to Friday, in schools all over Cranbrook you can see the happy faces and almost feel the full tummies as one of the most successful institutions in the city swings into action.

Sometimes called the “Breakfast Club” or more often “Breakfasts for Learning,” the program is based on a very basic concept.

“Kids can’t learn when they’re hungry,” says East Kootenay Community Credit Union (EKCCU) marketing spokeswoman Jane Davies. “So we saw this as a great opportunity to make other people aware, as we are aware, that kids are going hungry in our school system.”

The EKCCU began donating to the program three years ago and since that time has contributed more than $17,000. As far as Davies is concerned, it’s money well spent. “When the credit union started doing it, they had no anticipation of getting anything back from it. It was just a need and we felt we had to do it.”

Davies says the notion of why kids go to school hungry is a sensitive one and the program tries to stay clear of that. “You can’t do anything about the parents. There may be reasons there that we don’t know about, but you can help the kids.”

And this can be done in a way that ruffles as few feathers as possible, she says. “The biggest thing we felt is we didn’t want to stigmatize anybody. We wanted to make sure it was very casual and the people that run the program are just all over that. They open it up for any kid that just wants to come in and eat breakfast.

“There’s people that have money, but perhaps both parents are working and their shift starts at seven . . . so the kid is left on his own to get himself breakfast so they’ve opened it up to any kid that wants to eat breakfast.

“We do what we have to do and I’m not anyone’s judge.”

Retired principal Pat McInnes praises the program highly and says without the support of the EKCCU and other organizations in the community the program that produces 120 breakfasts-a-day would not be the success it is. Other contributors to the program include Save On Foods, the Ladies Auxiliary to the Royal Canadian Legion, Trans Canada Gas and Barbara’s Place Family Daycare which raised $2,352 for the program in 2009 through a silent auction hosted by parents at the daycare.

Barbara Alaric, the manager of Barbara’s Place, says she’s raised money over the years for many charitable organizations “but last year we just wanted to do something closer to home.”

McInnes says it takes many people at the school level to ensure the program runs smoothly and the support from the community has been “overwhelming.” In the case of EKCCU, the staff has held bake sales, placed a “money jar” for donations at the front counter and sponsored a “puck toss” at Kootenay Ice games to raise money.

McInnes says she was principal at Steeples Elementary when the Breakfast Club concept began to evolve.

“We got it started through some grant money and relied heavily on donations from bakeries to feed our hungry children.  We tried to provide a nutritious meal but it wasn't as easy due to lack of funding.  The grants would enable us to buy refrigerators and micro waves but the actual food was not provided.”

McInnes says numerous studies indicate students that eat a healthy breakfast before going to school do better academically than students who don’t. “With this in mind we decided it was something we would do as a school and we created a "breakfast room" and invited those who had not eaten to join us before school began.  It proved to be a huge success.”

But getting money to buy the actual food was always difficult, leaving teachers and administrators on an endless treadmill of fund-raising and sometimes dipping into their own pockets. As a result, McInnes says she was “very excited” when EKCCU decided to provide funding for the program through its Food for Kids program.

Referring to EKCCU’s funding and funding provided by others, McInnes says, “what a gift they have provided to the schools.” Most Cranbrook schools are now participating in the program,” she says. “I just want people to know of the wonderful work these community-minded citizens are doing for the children in the school district.”

Glenn Dobie, District 5 director of student learning, also says the community deserves thanks for the success of the program. “The program has turned out fantastic and we are truly grateful for the support the community has provided for our students. It really helps them to settle down and learn.”

Learning assistance teacher Connie White says the program works for a wide variety of students; some who arrive early on the bus and get hungry again before school starts, others who just enjoy the social aspect of it and some students that are simply hungry.

“Our program is pretty wide open. There’s no stigma attached to it and we prefer to keep it that way. We don’t make any judgments about why the kids are hungry. We just help the kids to get off to a good start and that sets the tone for the rest of the day.”

Breakfast Club meals consist of high-fibre, low fat cereals, fruit, yogurt, granola, toast and other low-sugar content foods. “I call it brain food,” White says.

The food is consumed in a family atmosphere and this also helps students to get off to a good start for the day, says White. “Some people don’t believe in these kind of programs, but I’d challenge them to come here and see the Breakfast Club in action.

“I can’t control what happens to these kids at home but I can control what happens here. It’s all about helping kids and that’s what matters.”

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