On October 20, Ace Bakery teamed up with Rockcliffe Middle School students and the Toronto Foundation for Student Success to deliver a resounding “snack-down.” As part of the Feed Tomorrow week-long event, junior chefs from 18 after-school snack programs gathered at Rockcliffe to transform six-foot baguettes “mouth-watering creations that were eaten during their snack time,” says Sandra Best of the Toronto Foundation for Student Success.
“Most people know that there is child hunger in other countries, but they are not aware that it exists in Toronto and that 40 per cent of children come to school hungry each day. This can be as high as 60 per cent in some communities,” says Best. The Toronto Foundation for Student Success aims to support Toronto District School Board students by removing barriers like hunger from their path to education.
“Feed Tomorrow is a weeklong series of events that highlight the issues surrounding child nutrition in Toronto. It was created to raise awareness of and funds for child hunger right here is our city,” says Best. Other Feed Tomorrow week events included a “subway takeover,” which saw high school volunteers fundraising on TTC platforms. Donors, local politicians, and local hunger-relief activists were also ferried by bus to two schools in order to survey their breakfast programs. The week wrapped up with a Iron Chef-style culinary challenge featuring high school students enrolled in the TDSB’s Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Tourism program.
Best highlighted Ace Bakery’s involvement with the Feed Tomorrow event, saying “Ace Bakery had been a wonderful partner for five years. Not only do they participate in Snack Down but employees fundraise for the TFSS in support of hungry students across the Toronto District School Board.” The Toronto Foundation for Student Success’s work is in recognition of a simple truism, which Best puts like this: “Why focus on hunger? It’s simple, really. The best teacher in the best school can’t teach a hungry child.”