Easing the invisible weight of hunger, one school at a time
June 17, 2026
Many educators are seeing the effects of food insecurity in their classrooms. Mary Hilpert, a teacher at Queen Elizabeth Public School in Sarnia, Ontario, sees it every day: students carrying the weight of more than just their backpacks.
According to the PROOF research program at the University of Toronto, 1 in 3 children in Canada live in households experiencing food insecurity, creating barriers to learning, participation and academic success¹.
Through the Power Full KidsTM programs run by President’s Choice Children’s Charity, Mary and her team members have seen firsthand the difference access to nutritious food and food education can make.
At Queen Elizabeth Public School, the Power Full Kids Eat Well program provides healthy snacks to every classroom, five days a week, throughout the school year. Hilpert shared that more than 75% of the school’s 280 students rely on the program for consistent access to nutritious food, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy products².
But the impact goes far beyond meals and snacks.
Through the school’s “Room 10” cooking classroom, students participate in monthly hands-on cooking and food education activities that teach practical life skills such as cooking, food storage, dishwashing, and laundry. With support from President’s Choice Children’s Charity, the school was able to purchase equipment including a stainless-steel prep table, full-sized refrigerator, blenders, and baking supplies to help bring the program to life.
Teachers have seen meaningful improvements in student focus, attendance, behaviour, and engagement, while the cooking activities help foster confidence, creativity, teamwork, and a stronger sense of belonging among students.
“Feeding all of our students improves their physical and mental health, increases attention, and helps them develop lifelong skills,” says Mary. “It’s about more than food, it’s about giving our kids the best chance to succeed.”
For nearly 37 years, President’s Choice Children’s Charity has supported the wellbeing of children in Canada. Through Power Full Kids at School, including Eat Well, Grow & Cook, the Equipment Fund, and Future Growers, the charity helps provide nutritious food, food education, and the tools schools need to support student success.
This year’s second annual Power Full Kids Week, taking place June 15–18, brings team members together to learn more about the impact of school food programs and how they can support this meaningful cause.
Together, we can help reduce the impact hunger has on children’s potential, because when we feed kids, we fuel the future.
¹ PROOF. New Data on Household Food Insecurity in 2025. April 29, 2026. Based on Statistics Canada data from the 2024 Canadian Income Survey. ² President's Choice Children's Charity. Power Full Kids™ Eat Well Program Questionnaire. Mary Hilpert, Queen Elizabeth Public School, Sarnia, Ont., 2025.
