REGINA – Funds have been awarded to 15 eligible organizations across Saskatchewan to expand school food infrastructure as part of a project led by the Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA).
Earlier this year, the SSBA was approved to receive $1 million in one-time federal government funding from the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) School Food Infrastructure Fund (SFIF) under the banner of Expanding school food infrastructure in Saskatchewan: Ensuring equitable reach.
“We are excited that we have been able to secure this investment to help support our overall school food programming goals,” said Dr. Shawn Davidson, president of the SSBA. “We were pleased to see strong engagement across the province from organizations working in partnership with school divisions to support our children and youth.”
Eligible recipients are community-based, not-for-profit organizations engaged with school food programs.
The funded projects support objectives related to increasing the capacity of organizations to provide or upgrade food preparation spaces, storage, equipment, and transportation/delivery that improve the food environments within schools and strengthen community food security.
In total, recipients are partnered with 18 school divisions: Chinook, Christ the Teacher, Creighton, Good Spirit, Holy Trinity, Ile-a-la Crosse, Living Sky, Northwest, North East, Prairie South, Prairie Spirit, Prairie Valley, Prince Albert Catholic, Regina Catholic, Regina Public, Saskatchewan Rivers, Saskatoon Catholic, and Saskatoon Public, and one First Nations school (Clifford Wuttunee School on Red Pheasant First Nation).
Please see the backgrounder accompanying this release for more information on the recipient projects and partnerships.
“An important focus for locally elected school boards is supporting school food programming,” said Davidson. “We know this can reduce known barriers to learning, attendance and school success.”