Breakfast Clubs of Canada’s Taste for Learning Tour Hits the Road to Raise Awareness and Funds for School Breakfast Programs
Almost 80 per cent of Canadians believe a healthy breakfast strongly improves a child’s ability to learn at school.
Toronto, Feb. 4 – With 1-in-10 Canadian children going to school on an empty stomach every day, Breakfast Clubs of Canada, in partnership with Walmart Canada, is hitting the road today on an eight-city cross-country tour to raise funds and awareness for school breakfast programs.The Taste for Learning Tour aims to create awareness amongst Canadians of the benefits of school breakfast programs and to raise $2.5 million dollars. Breakfast Clubs of Canada provides funding, equipment, food donations, management tools and support to school breakfast programs throughout Canada. This year, the goal is to support an additional 400 programs in urban and First Nations communities.
Almost 80 per cent of Canadians Believe Every Breakfast Counts
According to a recent Angus Reid survey, 78 per cent of Canadians believe having a healthy breakfast strongly improves a child’s ability to learn at school – and they’re right. When children go to school hungry or poorly nourished, their energy levels, memory, problem-solving skills, creativity, concentration and behaviour are all negatively impacted. As a result of being hungry at school, these children may not reach their full developmental potential.
“Breakfast Clubs of Canada is committed to the cause of feeding our children’s and our country’s future.” said Daniel Germain, President-Founder of Breakfast Clubs of Canada and Quebec Breakfast Clubs. “We believe every breakfast counts, and by reaching our fundraising goal, we will continue to level the playing field by providing a nutritious start to the day for even more Canadian schoolchildren.”
Taste for Learning Tour Hits the Road February 4, 2011
The Taste for Learning Tour kicks off today on an eight-city tour, starting in St. John’s and will head west making stops in Fredericton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver. At each stop, the public is invited to drop by to receive one of the 20,000 breakfast bags filled with coupons for food products from corporate partners such as Saputo, Danone, Kellogg’s and Minute Maid. They will also have the opportunity to meet radio morning hosts who will be broadcasting live on-site in support of the campaign.
$1.00 = One Breakfast for a Child
From February 17 to March 17, 2011, Canadians are invited to show their support to the Breakfast Clubs of Canada by purchasing a $1.00 bookmark at Walmart Canada stores across the country. Every bookmark sold equals one nutritious breakfast for a child. “Since 2005, Walmart Canada has been fuelling children’s success through its support of Breakfast Clubs of Canada,” said David Cheesewright, President and CEO of Walmart Canada. “Our partnership with Breakfast Clubs of Canada ensures that kids have access to a nutritious meal every day before going to class. Together, with our customers and vendor partners, we are making a difference in the future of Canadian children, one loonie at a time.”
During this campaign, Walmart Canada customers can also support Breakfast Clubs of Canada by purchasing select food products from Saputo, Danone, Kellogg’s and Minute Maid.
Canadians can also show their support by texting the word “BREAKFAST” to 4-5-6-7-8 to donate $5 which equals a week’s worth of breakfast for a child.
To learn more about Breakfast Clubs of Canada visit www.breakfastclubscanada.org
For further information:
Venture Communications
Christina Herancourt
416-276-7699
[email protected]
Breakfast Clubs of Canada
Marie Pier Paradis
1 866 794-4900 x 229
[email protected]
Walmart Canada
Felicia Fefer
905-821-2111 x 4466
[email protected]
