From the Kivalliq Region
“Arviat is an Inuit community of approximately 2,500. Our demographics are such that around half of our residents are under the age of 18, and for the adults the unemployment rate is almost 70 per cent.

With little industry, and minimal business it is difficult for parents to make ends meet unless they find work with the few employers in town.  Faced with this dilemma and coupled with the high cost of foods which, by the way, the heavier an item is the more it costs to ship to our location as our only two modes of product transportation are air freight and barge (prior to the Hudson Bay freezing over), families must meet the needs of feeding their families with minimal assistance. In addition families can be large and quantities of food
are scarce for some of those smaller children.

Now the good news....every school day our Home Economics Room at the Qitiqliq Middle School volunteers including myself show up 1.5 hours before the start of their work day in order to provide a breakfast to students who would not otherwise eat a meal that would be considered nutritious.  We serve approximately 190 breakfasts per day.  We cook alternating pancakes, eggs, toast, and cereal serving juice and milk to drink.  Every time I have visitors in town I encourage them to start their day the same joyful way I do: greeting and meeting the students and families of Arviat.  This event is not only a meal but is also a social event.  We do not turn anyone away and the general rule is take only what you can eat. We have seen school attendance increase, social skills increase, and children are more apt to volunteer to do projects.  We are building a true sense of Community and with the assistance of the Nutrition Grants we make it possible.

The price of eggs, bread, and juice for one week costs approximately $610.  That is four cases of bread, four cases of orange juice and two cases of eggs.  When we add in the element of fresh fruit which is something that I would like to include during periods of darkness in the winter our costs soar. Meeting the needs of our students is a task that I have taken on and will continue to oversee and volunteer.  Investing in our future is worth the time spent.  We have children as young as newborn and the joy on each face is worth every drop of sweat our volunteers endure.”

Yours in Education,
Bob Wells
Principal
Levi Angmak Illiniarvialaaq Elementary School, Arviat