Chalk Talk
Spring 2022
Volume 11, Issue 1
Inside This Issue
- Twenty Years Of Pride & Commitment Celebrating The 20th Anniversary Of The Hastings & Prince Edward Learning Foundation
- Superheroes Amoung US!
- The Challenges During Covid-19
Reflections On Successes During A Pandemic - Donor List
- The Importance Of CUPE Local 1022
- COVID Priority Student Programs
- Annual Learning Foundation Golf Tournament
Vision:
All students have the support needed to realize well-being and success.
Mission:
We fundraise to provide programs and services that help students overcome barriers and succeed in school.
Our job is to fundraise for programs and services that overcome barriers and help students succeed in school.
We believe that all students should have the support they need to realize well-being and success, and we’re committed to creating equal opportunities for all students.
Programs – such as the Student Emergency Fund, Food for Home, and our Student Nutrition Programs: Food for Learning, Food for Thought, and The Food Sharing Project – help students to actively participate in their school life.
Our programs are universally accessible to all students, breaking down barriers and levelling the playing field in a non-stigmatizing way.
Twenty Years of Pride & Commitment:
Celebrating The 20th Anniversary Of
The Hastings & Prince Edward Learning Foundation
Susan Sweet –HPE Learning Foundation Board Chair
I am honoured to have been asked to write the lead article for this edition of Chalk Talk. In thinking about how to begin, the word ‘celebrate’ came to mind. Given the challenges of the past two years, the opportunity to celebrate is both welcoming and inspiring. In turning to The Concise Oxford Dictionary, I read the words ‘praise’ and ‘extol’ next to ‘celebrate’.
“I’ll not have a problem with that” was my thought and so began the inspiration for this article.
There are several current Learning Foundation board members who have been with the Foundation since day one, working through the development and incorporation stages to where we are today. Directors Allan Stitt, David Demille and I have been ‘on board’ since those early days. We had been asked to join a committee by, then director of education, Larry Langdon, whose vision it was to form an educational foundation. If memory serves me correctly, the development process began in 2000, with the Foundation being incorporated in 2002.
I include that bit of history to provide context for the obvious pride and commitment that Allan, David and I share in remaining involved in the work of the Foundation.
Highlighted here are some of accomplishments for which we
are most proud:
- Programs and initiatives that support student well being and success in school. Food for Learning has been an ‘anchor’ program since day one and continues to remain at the forefront.
- A loyal and solid donor base. Over the past two years the Foundation donor base has increased by just over 400, bringing the total number of donors to just over 6,000.
- The appreciation expressed for Foundation programs and initiatives by school staff, families and donors.
- The Annual Golf Tournament was initiated in 2001. Since that year, thousands of dollars have been raised for several projects and programs, the most recent of which is the Student Emergency Fund.
Of course, none of the above would have been achieved without the dedication and hard work of the Foundation staff. They have a passion for what they do, which is evident in all aspects of Foundation work. The past two years have been extremely challenging in terms of program delivery, but the Foundation staff didn’t miss a beat.
Rounding out the Foundation team, the board of directors are community leaders and exemplary ambassadors for the Foundation.
The commitment of this group of volunteers to the work of the Foundation is amazing.
I am truly honoured and proud to work with such an outstanding team.
Happy 20th Anniversary!
Superheroes Amoung Us!
Meet Parker Garden, this remarkable young man chose to be a superhero. During his birthday celebration this year, Parker made the decision to ask his guests to donate to the Student Emergency Fund in lieu of asking for gifts for himself.
In recognition to his generous spirit, The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation presented Parker with a certificate showing that he is in fact a Superhero!
The Challenges During COVID-19:
Reflections on Successes During a Pandemic
Jim Kennelly – HPE Learning Foundation
The pandemic dished out many challenges for Food for Learning. With children facing so much uncertainty, we did not want access to food to be something about which they had to worry. Many of these children had come to rely on the healthy food they received at school through the student nutrition programmes. When it was announced that schools would be closed in March 2020, Food for Learning responded. We quickly connected with school principals who worked with school staff to determine which students might struggle with access to food while learning from home. Grocery cards were provided by Food for Learning so that all students could have daily access to nutrition even if they could not be in school.
This continues to the present day. When schools reopened and school nutrition programmes resumed, everyone smiled. However, there are still students in virtual learning and some of these students still need our welcome support.
Every student should have access to a healthy breakfast, lunch and snacks through the school day, regardless of whether they are in school or at home doing virtual learning. This keeps a level playing field for all our students. To ensure this, grocery cards have been provided that are equal to the value of meals and snacks that students would have received if they were learning in school.
Since March 2020, 15,802 grocery cards ($50 value) were provided and 1,190,997 meals and snacks were provided in school when school was open.
Our goal is to maintain this support because we do not want any child or youth not succeeding in school because they are hungry. Before a student can learn, the conditions for learning have to be in place. Are they safe? Are they healthy? Do they have all the tools they need to learn? But one reality we know, it is hard to learn on an empty stomach.
Where are we now? There continues to be a great need for student nutrition programmes in our schools as our society seeks to recover from the pandemic. The programmes are providing a greater number of meals and snacks each day and are struggling to meet the financial demands of doing so because of the significant rise in the cost of food.
Where are we going? The delivery model of the in-school student nutrition programmes had to be redesigned to meet the safety protocols of the pandemic to ensure the students continue to receive the nourishment they need to thrive. Programmes now are only serving pre-portioned, individually packaged food items. As we move forward and restrictions are lifted, we are now imagining what the programmes might look like next year and beyond. We hope to welcome back our wonderful core of volunteers in September so that hot meals can once again be provided. We hope to see students once again eating together. Perhaps new and innovative ideas can be implemented that we have not yet considered.
What we do know is that support to schools, students, and families will continue so that every student learning in Hastings and Prince Edward counties will have access to healthy food that will help them learn and succeed.
To all those who have been helping our students learn with good nutrition, thank you! To all those who have been supportive financially or with time, thank you! Our community is richer because you are with us.
In Memory of “Otto & Pauline Lingertat”
Ruth Berger – Donor
Both my parents had a love and a heart for children, and both experienced severe hunger and lack during war torn times in their respective European countries during World War II. They ended up as displaced children with their families in the wartime barracks of Poland and Austria and were refused entrance to schools due to their ethnicity.
They both knew hunger. They both valued and esteemed education highly, and instilled the unwavering appreciation and respect for schooling and to always try to do your best. Once the war was over, they both could not wait to return to school. You don’t know how important something is, until its taken away from you.
They taught us a lot, and their legacy of life and hard work continues through their children and grandchildren; my eldest daughter, Jacqueline Johnson, is a teacher at CHSS and brought this program to my attention. Mom and Dad would be proud to know that their love and appreciation of the importance of school lives on through the Food for Learning Program.
Partner ($100,000+)
Ameresco Canada Inc.
Charitable Foundation of the Ontario Grocery Industry
Classic Hits 95.5/Cool 100 Starboard Communications
John M. and Bernice Parrott Foundation Inc.
Kellogg Canada Inc.
President’s Choice Children’s Charity
The Community Foundation of Greater Kingston
Women’s Christian Association of Belleville
Builder ($50,000+)
Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities
Centre Hastings Community Support & Education Inc
CUPE Local #1022
Dr. Elizabeth Churcher and George Thomson
Johnson Inc.
Kiwanis Club of Belleville
Ottawa Senators Foundation
Quinte Broadcasting Company
The Alva Foundation
Colleague ($25,000+)
Bridge St. United Church Foundation
Centre Hastings Community Support & Education Inc.
Dewe’s Independent
Doug Whitley Insurance Brokers Ltd.
Gore Mutual Insurance Company Foundation
HAI Precision Waterjets Inc.
Hydro One Inc.
Isobel Whitley
Paul Whitley
Proctor & Gamble
Reid’s Dairy
Rotary Club of Stirling
Sandra Whitley-Russell
Tim Horton’s Madoc, Marmora
Trenval Business Development Corp.
Associate ($10,000+)
Art & Barbara Tait
Avaya
Bay-Shore Industrial Contractors Ltd.
Bell Canada
Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities
Canadian Tire Trenton
Diversey Canada/Bunzl
Dor-Ann Homes Ltd.
Dr. Edgar Barnett
Ducon Contractors Ltd.
Duvanco Homes
East Central Ontario Training Board
Faye Smith
Intact Foundation
Jack G. Hilton
Johannes Welsh
Karen Morrow
Kawartha Credit Union
Kerry Donnell
Kiwanis Club of Trenton
Leealan Holdings Ltd.
Leonard W. Black
Linda & Roli Tipper
Maribeth deSnoo
Market High Advertising
Newman’s Own Foundation
Pioneer Hi-Bred Canada Co.
Prince Edward District Women’s Institute
Quinte Home Builders’ Association
RBC Foundation
Reid’s Dairy
Richard Comerford
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Rotary Club of Belleville
Rotary Club of Picton
Rotary Club of Stirling
Rotary Club of Trenton
Rotary Club of Wellington
Smylie’s Independent Grocer
Spencer Hutchison
Stinson Builders Ltd.
TD Bank
TD Canada Trust
Tim Hortons
TransCanada Pipelines Inc.
Trenton Cold Storage
Wal-Mart
Wellington Women’s Half
Wilkinson & Company LLP
Wilson Controls
In Memory Of
Amy Jacklin
Audrey Parkhurst
Austin Chapleau
B. Radbourne
Carl Coates
Carl Pitman
Cec March
Chuck Slik
Christopher Campbell
Dave Stott
Dorothy Blakely
Elizabeth A. Fort
Evelyn Bryant
Evelyn Burkitt
Gary Duggan
Gordon McGaughey
Harry J. Van Vlack
Jacquie Steele White
Jean Mary Hutchison
Jessica N. Murray
John T.E. Reid
Joyce Sarles
Kathy Lawrie-Tyerman
Leo Logue
Marshall Dunning
Mary Elizabeth Sutherland
Mildred Dumond Munson
Morgan Carleton
Nathan Hubel
Nicole Howat
Pat Malloy
Pauline Hoover
Philip Etter
Phyllis I. McGaughey
Robert Fox
Ruth Ann Cole-Cummings
Sandy Smith
Sharon Gannon
Susan Grav
Susan Strong
Thelma Goodfellow
Tom Nigro
Vince Childs
William Trenear
In Honour Of
Christine Walker-Bird
Claude Boily
Dianne Winmill
Jane Hill
Jim Bamford
Larry Langdon
Rob Pownall
Ron Poste
Susan Grav
The Learning Foundation Team
Veronica Ford
Partners in Education
Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board
Breakfast Club of Canada
Breakfast for Learning
City of Belleville
City of Quinte West
Corporation of North Hastings
County of Hastings
Hastings Federation of Agriculture
Hastings and Prince Edward Counties Health Unit
Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board
Hastings-Prince Edward Elementary Teachers’ Local
Hastings County Children’s Services
Loyalist College
Ministry of Children and Youth Services
Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program
Quinte Mohawk School
The Corporation of the County of Prince Edward
The Importance of CUPE Local 1022
Jo-Anne White – CUPE Local 1022
CUPE 1022 is an important part of our school system! Our local represents approximately 700 members from the Hastings & Prince Edward District School Board comprised of Custodial, Maintenance, Clerical in Schools and Education Centre, other Education Centre Support, Library Technicians, Computer Technicians & Technologists, Student Supervision Monitors, Educational Assistants and Designated Early Childhood Educators.
We are the employees who work directly with the students in our board supporting them in their educational pursuits. We know the importance of a strong network of support to help young minds grow and learn.
We value our time spent within the school system and we want each and every student to reach their true potential. We know that having nutritious foods helps to alleviate lack of food concerns and allows their young minds to focus on learning.
We are committed, as a group of employees, to supporting The Learning Foundation and giving of funds from our own union dues. Members volunteer their own time to help shop and prepare foods. Some have scheduled time to assist in the preparation of healthy meals and snacks and teach some of our students about food prep and serving. This helps offer our students a life skill about good food preparation that will aid them as they journey into adulthood.
When children benefit from our donations, it compels us to continue doing more and feeling proud of our assistance. Traditionally, donations were given to different organizations to recognize and commemorate occasions within our union, but as a group we decided that these funds could be better used as a donation to the Learning Foundation. The Foundation disperses our donation between food for learning and the Student Emergency Fund. There is nothing more special than seeing a child’s face light up when delicious food is placed in front of them and knowing that their tummy will be full. Seeing smiles on the faces of young children as they are served a nutritious meal or snack and their appreciative responses to the servers is all anyone needs to see to know our funds are directly impacting their happiness and their health!
Covid has been hard on many families and seeing the struggles of providing nutritious meals is heartbreaking. Many families relied on grocery cards, grocery coupons and any additional food resources that could be provided from the school system to help feed their families. Asking for assistance was painful for some as they needed to swallow their pride and admit they just couldn’t do it. Many of our members were the ones who were the confidantes of both parents and students. Quietly and confidentially the CUPE members worked behind the scenes to help gather the foods needed and became an ally for the needy. Witnessing many of these occurrences made it the clear reality our money needed to go to help.
CUPE 1022 is involved in our communities as we sponsor team sports, donate to charitable causes and are the voices of community initiatives. While out and about in our daily lives we frequently encounter and greet the students we work with. Warm, friendly greetings from previous students and parents and inquiries and updates of former students are part of what makes us all realize and appreciate the current daily interactions with our young students. The rough situations that we are able to help and assist students and families through, grow into positive memories of relationships shared!
We are proud as CUPE 1022 to be able to assist with the fundraising venture of the Learning Foundation and we are committed to continuing to support!
We encourage all to give generously to Hastings & Prince Edward Learning Foundation and to make a difference in every child’s life!
The objective of the Student Emergency Fund is to give immediate assistance to Students, and perhaps their families, by providing financial aid and/or gift-in-kind support.
This funding could be used to purchase items such as eyeglasses, EpiPens, medical supplies, food and clothing, transportation, to subsidize field trips, or to assist with additional financial needs that result from family crises (fire, flood, layoffs, illness, etc).
To understand the impact of the Student Emergency Fund in our community, please consider the following…
“Thank you for helping a student from our school take part in a music trip with their peers. The student and their family struggling extremely hard with finances. The student has a part time job, and is giving much of their pay cheque to their parents to help pay household bills. We are so happy to have them participate in this trip!”
The Len & Olive Black Memorial Fund supports students facing financial hardship who:
- Require assistance with purchasing materials and items to allow them to fully participate in courses, leveling the playing field for all students
- Would like to pursue post secondary education and need assistance with the application fee.
Funds from the Len & Olive Black Memorial Fund are distributed through requests made to the Student Emergency Fund.
It’s through the Food for Home program that we assist food insecure students with nutrition at home.
The Food for Home model recently changed and we’ve moved to funding Nutrition Pantries. Nutrition Pantries provide a supply of shelf stable food items that students can access and shop to take home as needed.
Proper nutrition is essential to learning so this will provide equity to students that may be facing food insecurity at home, while allowing personal selection to accommodate dietary restrictions.
“Student came to school on a snow day in order to get food because they did not have anything at home.”
“It’s so rewarding it’s not really work. One little guy was so excited to get pasta and sauce and bread and margarine. His mom was working late, and they had little at home. He was going to surprise her with pasta and garlic bread. I was crying.”
“Families have been provided with nutritious food items, as well as recipes on how to prepare meals with the items. Many families have expressed gratitude for the food.”
See The Impact
Learn about the work, history and people behind The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation.
“With Student Emergency funding we can provide supports that are often significant game changers in the lives of our students and their families. Without this support, some families struggle to make ends meet and are forced to make difficult decisions between groceries, heat, hydro, gas money, or student clothing and shoes. The funding accessed is a much needed blessing during these challenging times, and many parents have expressed a tremendous sense of relief for receiving much-needed support.”
“This is so amazing for these families! We are so appreciative to the Learning Foundation for this support. The families have stated they hope to be able to pay it forward when they get back on their feet.”
“I have watched kid’s faces change from defeat to happiness. After receiving funding for a new winter coat, eyeglasses, or new running shoes for gym, they are now feeling that they finally fit in! During the pandemic, I have taken phone calls from parents (one in tears) stating they didn’t know what they were going to do for food…and after receiving food cards they were so thankful! I have also watched students who were able to go on a school trip because of LF support, once again, showing gratitude to be part of something and fitting in.”
