Toonies to feed the students

Grocery stores in Brighton and Colborne are taking part in a program to support student nutrition programs in the schools.

They are part of a campaign called Toonies for Tummies run by Northumberland Food for Thought.

The aim is to ask customers for two dollars at the till to support school-based programs that ensure students have enough to eat in order to learn in class.

This year the campaign is running in the Foodland store in Colborne as well as Sobeys in Brighton, until February 26, and other stores in Cobourg and Port Hope until Thursday of this week.

In a released statement, Community Development Coordinator with Northumberland Food For Thought, Beth Kolinsnyk says, ““It’s amazing how a toonie here and a toonie there will quickly add up and support student learning in our community. We again appreciate the generosity of shoppers at Metro, Food Basics, Foodland and Sobeys who are helping local students get the food they need to succeed in school.”

The local Toonies for Tummies fundraising effort is part of a larger Canada-wide campaign of the same name organized by The Grocery Foundation. All donations raised in a community go to support student nutrition programs there.

Locally, student nutrition programs consist of a full sit-down breakfast before school starts, a grab-and-go program, or one in which snack bins are delivered to each classroom. These programs are free and voluntary, providing food to thousands of students in the area every day to ensure they are not hungry and distracted from learning in class.

Last year, the Northumberland Food for Thought Toonies for Tummies raised $6,800.