At Avon Public School in Stratford, Ontario, a dedicated network of volunteers is helping ensure students have access to healthy snacks throughout the school day.
Led by parents and grandparents who generously give their time each week, the school’s snack program has become an important source of nourishment and support for students and families alike. Every Tuesday morning, volunteers gather to restock classroom snack bins and prepare fresh fruits and vegetables for distribution across the school.
“Each Tuesday morning our small but deeply devoted group of parent and grandparent volunteers gather to refill snack bins with non-perishable grab-and-go foods and wash, chop and prepare fruit and vegetables in large, heaping trays to distribute to each classroom in the school,” said Emelie Taylor, a Grade 3 teacher at Avon Public School.
The program is designed to make food easy to access for every student. Snack bins and fresh produce trays are placed directly in classrooms, allowing children to grab something to eat whenever they need it without disrupting their learning.
Avon Public School serves approximately 440 students, and the snack program is available to every child in the school community.
“If a child doesn’t have a lunch from home, or doesn’t have enough to eat, or if a child eats all their lunch provided from home and is still hungry, there is always food available,” Taylor explained. “Since the snack bins and the fruit and veggie trays are in each classroom, children don’t have to leave their classroom to access food.”
The school’s volunteer team operates out of what is affectionately known as “the milk room” — a compact but highly organized space equipped with cupboards, sinks and refrigerators.
“We have a room in the school that houses a sink, cupboards and several fridges, including one that contains the milk that families can purchase, so this room is called ‘the milk room,’” Taylor said. “It’s certainly not a huge room, but the volunteers who run the program are very efficient, organized and make use of the available space.”
Students enjoy a variety of nutritious snacks throughout the week. Classroom snack bins are typically stocked with granola bars, cereal bars, fish crackers, fruit cups, applesauce, and mini cereals. Fresh fruit and vegetable trays often include apples, pears, cucumbers, clementines, grapes and strawberries.
Some snacks disappear faster than others. “The strawberries, grapes and clementines are often the favourites,” Taylor shared. “If pineapple chunks are ever delivered, they’re definitely gobbled up, and so are orange slices.”
By creating a welcoming and accessible program, Avon Public School is helping students stay focused, energized and ready to learn — while also supporting families who may be experiencing food insecurity. Through the dedication of volunteers and staff, the program continues to make a meaningful difference in the daily lives of students across the school community.
To learn more about our Power Full Kids™ programs, visit https://www.pcchildrenscharity.ca/power-full-kids-at-school/
