When a child is hungry, its hard to learn.
A healthy breakfast provides children with the necessary fuel to get off to a bright start each morning, and nutritious meals and snacks throughout the day keeps them energized so they can stay alert and engaged in class.

Studies show that well-nourished students have improved memory, problem-solving skills and creative abilities – overall, they perform better in school. Yet, in Canada we have some startling facts:

• One in nine children in Canada live below the poverty line and this is only one of the many reasons children go to school hungry each day;
• 31% of elementary school and 62% of secondary school students do not eat a healthy breakfast daily;
• Childhood obesity rates, Type 2 diabetes and other health-related issues continue to rise; and still
• Canada remains one of the few developed countries without a national nutrition program for children.

With a challenging economy and rising food costs, child nutrition programs across the country face the daunting challenge of meeting the needs of their school community on already tight budgets.

In 2008/09, Breakfast for Learning was only able to grant 27% of the funds requested for breakfast, lunch and snack programs, meaning thousands of children may be going to school without a healthy meal or snack.