For many years, our club has been proud to support Joseph Howe Elementary in a variety of ways. One of our strongest commitments has been to youth food security—a need that continues to grow in our community.
In the past, we supported the school’s food program. When that program transitioned to a provincial initiative last year, we recognized that gaps still remained. Many students continue to lack nutritious snacks during the day, and some benefit from having extra snacks to take home.
To help fill this need, our Rotary volunteers—led by Joelle—purchase about $100 worth of snacks each school week (42 weeks per year) and deliver them to the school every Monday morning. These snacks are available in a grab-and-go format so that students can access them throughout the day. Options vary from week to week but always follow school guidelines (no meat or peanut butter).
This week, Rotarian Thomas took a turn at snack duty. Let’s just say snack-making is not exactly his strongest skillset—but he dove in with enthusiasm! Armed with Cheerios, cheese, crackers, applesauce, and dried cranberries, he may have overbought on the cereal (Cheerios for days!), but the kids won’t mind one bit. Despite his “rookie” status, Thomas had a great time and is already excited to sign up again.
In the past, when we prepared sandwiches, they disappeared in a single day—showing just how strong the need really is. That’s why this simple program matters so much.
A big thank-you goes out to everyone who helps with the snack program or Partners Assisting Local Schools (PALS) within Joseph Howe School, and to all who contribute through our fundraising efforts. Together, you are making a direct impact in the lives of students.
If you’d like to lend a hand with a couple of hours of snack prep, please reach out to Joelle—we’d love to have you join us!