In 2014 the Rotary Club of Salmon Arm discovered that many students in School District #83 went to school without lunch. The lack of a noon meal meant that they were unable to focus on learning, so their education was compromised. The club decided to do something about the situation, and so a School Lunch Program was born.
For nine years, since September 2014, we have donated $160,000 to support a school lunch program to help hungry students get through the school day. Our partner was Askew's whose gift cards were provided to all 25 of the district schools and Parent Advisory Committees, which include Sicamous, Sorrento, Armstrong, Enderby, Falkland, and all the Salmon Arm schools. Throughout the program, we received positive feedback many times from school principals and teachers about the importance of student lunches in the learning process.
Now our participation in this program has come to an end because the provincial government will be taking over. "Through Budget 2023, the Province is investing $214 million over three years so school districts can create or expand local food programs in schools throughout B.C. The funds will be used for purchasing food and hiring dedicated staff to co-ordinate providing meals and snacks to students. This is the largest investment in school food programs in the Province’s history." (https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases)