Local Advocates Launch Online Conversation about School Food in Windsor-Essex
The Ontario Student Nutrition Program, Windsor/Essex (OSNP W/E) helps to flow seed funding to almost 100 local healthy snack and breakfast programs and they believe that schools can have an even greater impact on shaping a child’s relationship with food. They are launching a community wide conversation on social media over the next few months to get local parents, chefs, businesses and community talking about this important topic!
What is the goal of this online conversation?
- Build awareness and support for the Ontario Student Nutrition Program –Windsor-Essex
- Give parents and community a chance to share their thoughts on school food
- Engage new and perhaps non-traditional local champions like architects and chefs to share ideas about how we can grow, cook and nourish local kids and community through innovative school food programs and design
- Kick start change in this area! Results will be rolled up into a report that is being developed by the University of Windsor and that will be used by OSNP to create the foundation of more innovative food programs for local students
How will the conversation work? OSNP W/E will be posting different questions each week on their Facebook page to get community members talking about issues related to school food. They will tag local influencers and ask them to help promote the conversation with their followers and the general community in the hopes that they can get a lively conversation going!
To encourage people to participate in our online community conversation, OSNP purchased $50 gift cards from 12 different local businesses that serve local food such as Josephs Produce Market, Carrots N’ Dates, The Twisted Apron and the Green Heart Lunch Club. To kick things off, they will be giving away a $50 gift card to Lee and Maria’s in early January. All you have to do is like the OSNP Facebook page and join the conversation for a chance to win! Who knows …your little actions could inspire BIG changes for local children and youth!
How can people help? Help OSNP reach their goal of 500 likes on their Facebook page before the end of January!
1. Like the OSNP Windsor-Essex Facebook page
2. Participate in the online Community Conversations that will happen weekly from now until the end of March
3. Share a post or tag a friend so that they can get involved as well!
What does the Ontario Student Nutrition Program do in Windsor Essex? OSNP provides seed funding to help support almost 100 local school breakfast and healthy snack programs. Recently, they’ve been trying to explore options to enhance the scope of programs they support to include vibrant ideas like fruit and vegetable delivery programs, salad bar programs, school gardens, growing towers, food literacy initiatives and much more!
Did you know that the federal government will follow through on a promise to invest in a National School Food Program in Canada?
OSNP Windsor is not just starting local conversations about school food. They were also one of the original members of the Coalition for Healthy School Food in Canada, a group that has grown to include 100+ health and education organizations that are advocating for federal funding for a school food program across Canada. The group was energized last March when the government announced in their 2019 federal budget a commitment to work with the provinces on the creation of a National School Food Program! If Canada moves forward with this commitment we will join Japan, Germany, France, Italy, USA, and the UK (the other G7 nations), as well as Brazil, Korea, Sweden, Finland and many other countries who understand the importance of a National School Food Program on the health, education and wellbeing of students.