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educational partnerships
partnership highlights
ATCO Gas, the Calgary Hitmen and Community Kitchens
provide Hot Lunches
ATCO Gas, the Calgary Hitmen and Community Kitchens provide Hot Lunches
The Food For Thought program, a project of the Calgary Hitmen, ATCO Gas, Community Kitchens and the Calgary Board of Education, is aimed at students in specific schools that require this kind of support. Through the program a one-day full hot lunch is served to the entire student body at each school. In addition to hot lunches, the schools also receive a block of free tickets to a Hitmen hockey game and participate in an exciting lunch hour floor hockey game with a minimum of 4 Hitmen players and Hitmen spokesperson, Joel Otto. In the 2005-2006 school year, ATCO Gas came on board as a sponsor of the program in five schools. Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids
The project, Food for Thought, targets youth identified as “disadvantaged” but is open to any youth that arrives at school without lunch. Schools assist in ensuring that students are not marginalised throughout the process of receiving nutritional support. Initially, this service was offered to first-year, comprehensive schools to work through procedures and to ensure the integrity of the program, as well as streamline school involvement. A school representative assumes the role of monitoring, storage and administrating the lunches, as well as ensuring expired lunches are thrown out. Lunches are made fresh and delivered routinely, free of charge, and contain a healthy sandwich, vegetables, fruit juice or milk and a small snack. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary's Food and Nutritions in Schools Program (FANS) FANS is a successful example of community spirit and partnership. Money used to purchase food for FANS is derived solely from donations and fundraising. Community partners including corporations, individuals, schools and service clubs all make valuable contributions to FANS. The United Way generously funds the administrative costs of the program. Since its early beginnings, FANS has grown significantly from 4 to over 130 schools. Over three quarters of FANS food goes to children in elementary schools; 8% to elementary/junior high schools; and 14% to students in junior and senior high schools. The FANS program receives hundreds of food requests from schools and provides over 200,000 food servings to hungry children in Calgary and Cochrane. Total food costs are in excess of $175,000. Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank – CBE Partnership
Food Bank representatives provide large and small group presentations at participating schools, provide tours, deliver and pick up food boxes to support school food drives and opportunities to volunteer at the warehouse. Schools wanting to partner with the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank should call 253-2059 or visit the website at www.calgaryfoodbank.com. Calgary Produce Marketing Association – CBE Partnership
The CalPMA mandate is to promote the awareness and consumption
of fresh fruits and vegetables through the delivery of the "5 to
10 a day message” for better health. As part of this partnership,
the Calgary Produce Marketing Association provided some 20,000 apples
to students in 45 CBE schools in April, 2006. In April 2007, almost 13,000 apples were distributed to students in 37 CBE schools. The apples, brought in from Washington, were generously donated by L & M Companies, Inc.
The CALPMA, working with the Calgary Board of Education, will continue to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to CBE schools in the upcoming school year. The CBE and CODA support Active Living The agreement builds on a long-standing relationship between CODA and the CBE. Working together, the two parties currently introduce more than 40,000 Calgary school children to winter sporting activities at Canada Olympic Park each year. CODA and the CBE also operate the National Sport School, which allows Canada’s high-performance athletes the opportunity to pursue excellence in academics and athletics. National Sport School student and Olympic ski jumper, Greg Baxter, says: “I firmly believe you never know how good you may become – be it in athletics or academics – until someone gives you the chance, and asks you to be great. CODA played a key role in introducing me to a unique Olympic sport, and has given me an opportunity to pursue excellence in that sport. I hope this partnership will help ignite the Olympic dream, but more importantly a passion for sport, in more of Calgary’s children.” Since Olympic School’s inception at Canada Olympic Park in 1997, CODA has provided an opportunity to more than 4,000 students and 120 teachers to learn and grow in an Olympic environment. An on-site classroom is provided at Canada Olympic Park, and the students do their work in all subject areas at the Park while visiting the various facilities and athletes. “We look forward to moving this partnership forward, while introducing more youth to activities at our facilities and encouraging all of them to pursue their Olympic dreams,” said Jim Younker. “CODA will work closely with school teachers and principals to provide recreational programs that suit the needs of their curriculum, and will ultimately benefit all students.” The Community Kitchens Hot Lunch Program
Through the generous donations made by several Calgary corporations hundreds of CBE Elementary school students will have the opportunity to receive a full hot lunch again this school year.
Fuel for School is a breakfast program designed to provide hungry Calgary Board of Education (CBE) elementary students with a nutritious breakfast prior to starting their studies each day. The breakfast includes items such as bagels, toast, cereal, fruit, yogurt, peanut butter and jam. The aim of the program is to reduce the emotional stress, health risks and negative academic effects of hunger and poor nutrition for elementary-aged students. Fuel for School works in conjunction with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary’s Food and Nutrition for Schools (FANS) Program to provide this service at no cost to the children. In the 2008-2009, over 98,000 breakfasts were served in the 19 Fuel for School programs. The Calgary Board of Education currently applies for grants and relies on donations from various organizations and donors to support the 19 Fuel for School breakfast programs. The Calgary Board of Education is a registered charity so tax receipts can be issued for donations over $25. A new collaborative effort between the Fuel for School Nutrition Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club of Calgary was established in the Fall of 2008. The goal of this foundation is to generate sustainable funds rather than struggle each year to raise new money for the breakfast programs which is its current reality. As the number children coming to school hungry increases, it is vital that we continue to provide this program in our 19 schools and expand the program to other schools also in need. Feedback from our Fuel for School programs: -We know that feeding these children makes a difference in their academic progress. A child who has been fed, is a child who can think and work. A child who has been fed is a happy child. A child who has been fed is a child who feels safe and who has greater resiliency so that they can face the many trials and tribulations that their day might bring. -I hope the contributors have a sense of the impact they have on many children, and know that they are un-sung heroes in the lives of these children. An Anonymous Donor Provides Support for Fuel for School Anonymous Donor Provides Support for Fuel for School An Anonymous Donor Provides Support for Fuel for School top. Meals On Wheels Provides Duck Soup The Duck Soup Program was developed to provide students in participating schools with a nourishing lunch so that they would have an energy level conducive to concentration and learning. The schools being served are:
Meals on Wheels supplies 960 servings of soup a week at an annual cost of just under $34,000. The meals are prepared fresh each day of delivery, packaged in thermal containers and delivered to each school, together with soup bowls, spoons, crackers, and or buns.
The ‘NSTEP program provides an opportunity for participants to assess their physical activity and food choices, to learn about healthy life choices and to practice and apply these skills. The program delivery is designed for the specific elementary, junior and senior high levels. At the elementary level, Buchanan and Stanley Jones schools are taking part; at the junior high level Alice Jamieson Girls’ Academy is piloting the program and at the senior high level, Bowness High School NSTEP III - Walk, Talk and Eat was launched at the beginning of April and ran to the end of May.
Content Moderator: L. Milner
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Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids Society is a non-profit organization
providing free lunch for children and youth in Calgary – on the
street or in schools. The partnership helps individuals to reach their
potential by providing essential nutrition for healthy growth and development. 
Feedback
from a pilot feeding program conducted in 1987 revealed that up to 30%
of Calgary students were arriving at school hungry or without a lunch.
The study further showed that kids participating in the feeding program
had better attention spans, were more animated in class and were better
able to perform school tasks. As a result of the pilot study, FANS became
a major program of Boys and Girls Club.
The
Calgary Food Bank acts as a crisis facility to feed Calgarians in times
of financial trouble. Their mandate is to provide quality emergency
food to those in need. In 1983 a group of volunteers dedicated themselves
to feeding the hungry in Calgary. From its small beginnings to the 59,000
square foot warehouse used today, the Calgary Food Bank has grown to
meet the needs of the hungry in Calgary. Last year the Food Bank provided
emergency food to over 137,500 people, of whom over 40% or 55,000 were
children. 
Kids
are helping kids in their community when schools help the Calgary Food
Bank. Whether donating cash, food or time, this support really makes
a difference. CBE schools are enthusiastic participants in the Mayor’s
Food Drive and Help the Hungry Week. They also understand that hunger
is a year-round situation and help on other occasions, including Thanksgiving,
Easter, 100-day celebrations and at events like dances, sports days,
concerts and plays. 
Over the past year the Calgary Board of Education has been actively
working with the Calgary Produce Marketing Association in the development
of a formal partnership. This partnership has resulted in the creation
of various Health curriculum resource materials and the creation of
theme days whereby fruit has been provided to CBE students free of charge.
The
CALPMA is a not for profit group of industry personnel whose members
are involved in the distribution and marketing of fresh produce. To
this end, CALPMA aligns itself with events and projects that demonstrate
the Association’s commitment to the community and the next generation. 
In
late May a landmark agreement was struck between CODA and the CBE that
promotes active living through physical education programs at CODA’s
Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, and at the Canmore Nordic Centre, for
the nearly 100,000 students in the Calgary Board of Education. Students
will participate in a wide array of recreational winter and summer activities
including alpine and nordic skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, mountain
biking, hiking and orienteering.
Our
partnership with the Calgary Olympic Development Association and Canada
Olympic Park is a wonderful opportunity for our students and teachers
to take advantage of world-class facilities and the many opportunities
available to increase participation in physical activity and the development
of healthy lifestyles. 
At
the core of the new agreement is Sport For Life – CODA’s
health and wellness brand. Under the Sport For Life initiative, Canada
Olympic Park will execute the facility outreach component of the program.
A fully non-smoking facility, Canada Olympic Park, which draws more
youth than any other sport facility in Alberta to discover year-round
recreational activities, will continue to promote healthy messaging
and activities throughout its programming for Alberta’s youth,
and students under the Calgary Board of Education.
Other
highlights of the agreement include the two community leaders working
together to: create a one-day active living program at Canada Olympic
Park; provide vocational opportunities to students through cooperative
education programs and work experience; CODA will provide used staff
uniforms and hot lunches to students who may not otherwise be able to
afford them; and will also continue to operate Olympic School, which
provides an innovative and authentic approach to learning. 
Since
2000 Calgary Meals on Wheels has been pleased to offer the Duck Soup
Program to seven specific; Calgary Board of Education schools, The program
began as a three month pilot and has grown to an annual service fully
supported through public fundraising by Calgary Meals on Wheels
Almost every day newspaper stories announce new understandings of childhood
obesity and its affect on children’s growth, health, learning
and, ultimately, happiness. Many studies have come to the same conclusion
that overweight and/or obese children face increased health risks. Health
departments in all levels of government have been actively promoting
physical activity and healthy food choices for years. 
Increasingly,
healthy lifestyle programs are being directed at young people to support
them directly in making healthy choices. ‘NSTEP (Nutrition Students
Teachers Exercising with Parents) is a not-for-profit organization that
creates, develops and implements interactive nutrition and physical
activity programs (for a variety of learners) to ensure prevention of
nutritional diseases and improve their quality of life.
The
program involves an educational/learning component and a physical activity
component and is supported by Imperial Esso, Bowness High School’s
corporate sponsor, who is providing funding and CBE Comprehensive School
Health who has contributed 30 ‘NSTEP pedometers for the pilot.
Participating students and staff attend a number of presentations on
specific topics and take part in a daily walking activity.