Breakfast Club of Canada

Community Support

The Calgary Food Bank has been collaborating with the Breakfast Club of Canada since 2017. Together, they work to create an inclusive environment where kids can enjoy a nutritious breakfast at school and receive the fuel they need to reach their academic potential. 

About Breakfast Club of Canada

Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to empower young minds since 1994. Accredited by Imagine Canada, BCC reaches hundreds of thousands of children from coast to coast to coast. Their first breakfast program opened in Quebec three decades ago. In 2005, they started working with Indigenous communities and expanded to become a Canada-wide organization in 2006.  

BCC’s impact in Alberta during the 2023–2024 school year was significant, reaching over 32,000 children in more than 200 schools. In Calgary alone, BCC-supported breakfast programs fed more than 6,000 children in 65 schools during the year, a feat made possible through collaboration with the Calgary Food Bank. 

The most important meal of the day

In Canada, one out of every three children face the daunting reality of heading to school hungry. There are many reasons why a child may not eat breakfast at home. They may not be hungry until later in the morning. A rushed morning routine or a family emergency may mean there’s not enough time to sit down at the breakfast table. And sometimes, they live in a household where food insecurity is a very real problem.  

A wholesome breakfast isn’t just about alleviating hunger. It’s also about fueling minds, fostering healthy lifestyle habits and cultivating a sense of belonging within a broader community. 

Simple things like a bagel, a banana, or a yogurt cup can be a catalyst for success. However, the ultimate goal is to ensure that students across Alberta and across the country have universal and reliable access to nutritious food that helps them get ahead in school and in life.  

Custom-tailored programs

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to providing breakfast in schools. Breakfast programs in rural communities look different than breakfast programs in more urban settings. It depends on a range of factors, including how food is procured and where the support to run the program comes from. Each breakfast program is tailored to fit the needs and capacities of the school and the team. 

In schools where breakfast programs are offered, we see students who are more focused on their work and more invested in their learning. I think that’s what people really need to understand: the impact of breakfast programs is as much about giving students the motivation to succeed as it is about meeting their nutritional needs.