Course:LFS350/Projects/W2017/BCC
Project Summary
Purpose
This project is an opportunity to engage with one of Canada's leading non-profit agencies, the Breakfast Club of Canada
- This work will support our ongoing efforts to bolster food security for our communities and ensure that we are able to reach the greatest number of children possible.
- Students will work to contact farms and build these relationships, advise prospective partners on suitable foods, investigate transportation logistics, and develop systems to track value of product received.
Areas of Focus
- School hunger and nutrition programs
- Community food and hunger assets
- Community development
- Local and regional farms
Skills
- Community level analysis of food, nutrition and hunger in school-aged children and youth
- Agricultural and farm-based distribution knowledge
Location
- Remotely, with a meeting at the downtown Vancouver office and a visit to a local breakfast program
Special Considerations
- Availability in the morning to visit school feeding program in Vancouver is highly recommended
Background Information
In 2016, the BC Government passed the B.C. Farmers' Food Donation Tax Credit, allowing farmers to receive a tax credit for food product donated to local breakfast programs, such as those supported by the Club. We want to build proximity to these farms by developing relationships with them and facilitating food donations to local programs we support, in order to form community connections and improve food access and security for vulnerable populations.
Students will work to contact farms and build these relationships, advise prospective partners on suitable foods, investigate transportation logistics, and develop systems to track value of product received.
Organization Information
Name
Breakfast Club of Canada
Mission + Vision
Breakfast Club of Canada is a Canada-wide non-profit that has worked for the last 20 years to provide nutritious breakfasts to students before class each morning. Our mission is to ensure that all students have access to a healthy breakfast in a safe, supportive environment so that they can do their best in school. Today, we support over 1,400 schools across Canada, serving breakfast to over 150,000 students each morning.
Primary Contact
- Contact Persons: Robin Ryan
- Email: robin.ryan@breakfastclubcanada.org
- Address: 411 – 470 Granville St, Vancouver
- Phone: 604-685-2220
- Website: www.breakfastclubcanada.org
- Best time(s) method(s) to contact: Email
Project Description
- At the end of this project, we will aim to have developed a significant number of relationships with farmers across BC and developed a tracking and accounting framework to meet our fiscal responsibility obligations. This work will support the Club’s efforts to reduce our financial burden by offsetting grants with food donations.
Skills Preferred + To Be Developed
- Personable and comfortable with phone communication (for contacting farms and establishing relationships)
- Pro-active and creative to solve logistical challenges
- Determined and persistent to make multiple follow-up emails and phone calls
- Analytical (for developing tracking and reporting procedures)
Preferred Days of Week and Hours
- We are very flexible with our hours, although students wishing to see a breakfast program in action will need to find a weekday where they are available at 8am.
Experiential Learning Opportunities
- We will encourage group members to visit one of our local breakfast programs to see it in action
Expected Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
I hope students will learn about…
- Food procurement challenges and opportunities across Canada
I think students will come to appreciate…
- The importance of challenging existing models within program management systems
Students will develop…
- Analytical skills to review data, synthesize information, and make recommendations
Organizational Outcomes
- A better understanding of different food procurement systems in education
- A nuanced understanding of the systems in place in our schools
- A clear understanding of the opportunities for collaboration with local and regional farms