CHEP Good Food and Innovation Federal Credit Union Team Up to Provide Nutritious Meals for Students
For the next five years, Innovation Federal Credit Union (Innovation) is partnering with Saskatoon’s CHEP Good Food Inc. (CHEP) in supporting one of CHEP’s school lunch programs. The newly named “Innovation School Food Program”—formally known as the Centralized Kitchen—provides freshly prepared brown bag lunches to students at local schools who would otherwise not have a lunch that day and serves schools that do not have their own in-house nutrition programs. The program has experienced a sharp increase in demand over the past few years, serving over 33,000 lunches in a single school year, so this timely partnership will help provide needed security.
“School food programs are vital in ensuring every child has the chance to thrive academically and personally,” says Derek Vanthuyne, VP Strategy at Innovation Federal Credit Union. “We’re honoured to partner with CHEP to help support Saskatoon students’ physical health and cognitive development. Investing in a vital program like this one is investing in the potential of our next generation. We’re so grateful for this opportunity to make a difference in children’s lives.”
Colleen Norris, Superintendent of Education responsible for Health and Nutrition Partnerships at Saskatoon Public Schools, says: “I think everyone can get behind feeding kids and this is going to allow us to do that while simultaneously improving learning outcomes. It’s no secret that children can’t learn on empty stomachs. We are so grateful to be a part of this partnership.”
CHEP Good Food is grateful for the partnership and looks forward to working with Innovation Federal Credit Union to continue providing nutritious meals to Saskatoon students.
About CHEP Good Food Inc.
CHEP Good Food works with children, families, and communities to improve access to good food and promote food security. For over 35 years, the organization has worked within a capacity building model in Saskatoon and is currently led by their guiding principles of relationship to the land, the right to food, mutual respect, and education and advocacy.