Context

Founded in 1979, The Grocery Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to feed the 1 in 5 children who go to school hungry in Canada each day. The goal of the organization is to boost the health and potential of the children it serves.

The Grocery Foundation's main program - The School Breakfast Program - is supported by two fundraising campaigns:

• Toonies for Tummies: shoppers donate to the program and, in turn, donations are matched by grocery retailers

• Night to Nurture: a yearly fundraising gala for the grocery and food industry

The organization is supported by a community of grocery, food, beverage and consumer product companies who work together to support over 1 million children in hundreds of communities across Canada. It is also a registered charity. Since 2000, the organization has raised over $19.5 million across Canada.

Although the Board of Directors is made up of 16 retail executives, the program is also run by food and beverage companies, teams of associates and local volunteers.

Some other relevant information includes:

-the organization is currently running 1,495 student nutrition programs in Ontario and Western Canada

-1,104,962 kids are being served every day in Ontario and Western Canada

-over 1 in 5 Canadian children living in homes that struggle to put food on the table

-research shows that living in a food insecure household is associated with childhood mental health problems like hyperactivity and inattention

-there is a 17% improvement in graduation rates between students who regularly ate breakfast and those who didn’t

-the average cost of a meal through the program is $2

-further information and financial statements can be found here: https://groceryfoundation.com/