REACH is the lead agency for the administration and implementation of the Student Nutrition Program in the Hamilton-Niagara Region. Local service providers in the Haldimand-Norfolk, Brant County, Hamilton and Niagara areas of the Hamilton-Niagara Region are allocated Ministry funding to support the establishment, enhancement and operation of local student nutrition programs.

A management consortium led by REACH and made up of representatives from Hamilton Partners in Nutrition, Niagara Nutrition Partners, Brant Food for Thought and The Child Nutrition Network of Haldimand & Norfolk has the responsibility for ensuring the local program delivery of the provincial Student Nutrition Program and the allocation of funding.

Eligibility?
The Student Nutrition Program is a universal program that is available to all children and youth. A program, for the purposes of being eligible for government funding, is not site-based but meal-based. A program may be a breakfast program, a lunch program and/or a snack program and is intended to support the healthy development of school-aged children and youth arriving at school, ready to learn. Local programs receiving ministry funding will serve nutritious food and refer to established nutrition guidelines for assistance (Community kitchens and child care facilities are not eligible for funding).

How are the funds awarded?
The Hamilton-Niagara Regional Student Nutrition Program is part of the provincial Student Nutrition Program and is funded through the Ministry of Children and Youth Services. To receive funding to offer a breakfast, lunch or snack program, you must submit a grant application that outlines your annual program costs to your respective local service provider. The Ministry of Children and Youth Services will contribute up to 10-15% of these costs. You will need to describe how you will raise the additional funds to cover your costs (e.g., parents, caregivers, corporate sponsors, charities, volunteers, etc). Grant decisions will be made by your local service provider, based on eligibility requirements, established by the Ministry and the management consortium (see documents or link to application documents below).

How can I access or find out more about this program?
For more information about this program, please contact the Regional Coordinator, Student Nutrition Program c/o Haldimand-Norfolk REACH, 101 Nanticoke Creek Parkway, Townsend ON N0A 1S0 at 519-587-2441, ext. 408

Pour le service en français, s'il vous plaît ne se gêner pas partir une messagerie vocale à 519-587-2441 à l'ext. 420 ou veuillez correspondre en français directement avec le suivant personnel de Haldimand-Norfolk REACH : Arlene Everets, Directeur de Programme de Nutrition d'Etudiant Régional; Darlene Edmonds, le Coordinateur de Développement de Communauté Régional; ou Wendy Carron, le Directeur de Services, Tôt Enfance Entretient.

You may also be interested in these other informative websites and reports:

The Child Nutrition Network of Haldimand-Norfolk
Breakfast for Learning
"A Call to Action:  Creating a Health School Nutrition Environment"
Eating Well with Canada's New Food Guide
Dairy Farmers of Ontario
Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit

Breakfast Clubs of Canada

Anaphylaxis Management Protocol
Blank Menus - English
Blank Menus - French
Eligibility Requirements for Non-Designated Programs
Eligibility Requirements for Designated Programs
Application for Funding-Existing Non-Designated Programs
Application for Funding-Existing Designated Programs
Nutrition Quick Reference Guide
PBN-Aide-Memoire
Revised Nutrition Guidelines-French
SNP Program Guidelines
SNP Suspension or Closure Reporting Template
SNP Program Guidelines-French

SNP-Webtracker Website
Revised Nutrition Guidelines-English