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A scaled-down event Tuesday morning at Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School on a no-school-buses day didn’t detract from the important message being delivered:

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Proper nutrition is vital to success in a learning environment.

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“All youth should have access to healthy food, said Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry MPP Nolan Quinn, who was on hand to deliver news about government funding support for local and provincial programs. “Proper nutrition is very important for children as it helps with their physical and mental development.”

School nutrition announcement at Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School
Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry MPP Nolan Quinn was handing out some healthy snacks on Tuesday morning at Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School, including to student Dustin St. Denis. Photo on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, in Cornwall, Ont. Todd Hambleton/Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia Network Photo by Todd Hambleton /Todd Hambleton/Standard-Freeholder

The Ontario government is investing an additional $5 million this year in the Student Nutrition Program, and the First Nations Student Nutrition Program, which provides school-aged children and youth with healthy meals and snacks throughout the school year to ensure they are well-nourished and ready to learn.

As part of the investment, the Upper Canada Leger Center for Education and Training supporting the program in Eastern Ontario (SDG, Prescott-Russell, Renfrew, and Leeds and Grenville) will receive $212,500.

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“The more formal nature (of the gathering at CCVS) is gone, but we still want to make the announcement,” Quinn said about funding received from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.

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The Cornwall gathering was originally slated to include having Matthew Raby, the executive director of the Upper Canada Leger Center for Education and Training, holding a workshop at CCVS to discuss the importance of the Student Nutrition Programs within schools, but Mother Nature had other plans, the snow day having buses canceled and most kids staying home.

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The UCLCET was incorporated in 1999 as a not-for-profit corporation and was registered as a charity in 2002 that seeks to find innovative ways to spearhead unique projects supporting education, diversity, health, and well-being across Eastern Ontario. It’s responsible for the administration of the provincially-led Student Nutrition Programs across the region, the UCLCET working with Healthy Eating for Better Learning, Nutrition 4 Kids, and Food for Learning, and it provides support, direction and funding to schools who offer nutrition programs .

School nutrition announcement at Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School
Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry MPP Nolan Quinn with breakfast program workers and students at Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, in Cornwall, Ont. Todd Hambleton/Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia Network Photo by Todd Hambleton /Todd Hambleton/Standard-Freeholder

The government said the latest investment brings the total provincial funding for this year to $38 million and will help ensure the program can continue to deliver almost 90 million nutritious meals and snacks to over 600,000 school-aged children.—

Partner organizations – including Maple Leaf Foods, the Arrell Family Foundation, and the Breakfast Club of Canada – will continue to work with local groups and businesses to encourage community involvement and fundraise to reach a combined goal of $10 million, a total that doubles the government’s investments.

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MPP Quinn visits Cornwall Collegiate with healthy food funding news
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