A $20,000 donation to the Thames Valley District school board will help fill the bellies of hungry students learning online in London and Middlesex County.
The Ontario Student Nutrition Program gave the board $20,000 worth of grocery gift cards on Wednesday. The donation comes as students who rely on school food programs are left without nutritious meals due to the switch to full-time remote learning.
“We are grateful for this generous donation that will make a real difference in the lives of many of our students," said Jackie Ellefsen, executive director of the Thames Valley Education Foundation (TVEF), the group overseeing disbursement of the donated gift cards.
Families in need can request one of the donated cards through school principals, vice-principals or social workers.
According to the school board, families with additional needs or who live outside the London and Middlesex-area can access more support through the foundation's caring fund - an emergency fund established to help students facing poverty-related issues.