Anglican Diocese provides local children with healthy snack

Posted Nov 3, 2011 By Stacey Roy

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Sandy McInnes, Duncan J Schoular principal (second from left) accepted over 200 snack bags from Paul Howard, chair of the outreach committee for St. John the Evanglist Church (left) , Rick Warren, people's warden, and Rev. Jim Roberts (right). The donation is from the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa's Bishop's Child Poverty Initiative.

Marla Shook, Smiths Falls EMC

Sandy McInnes, Duncan J Schoular principal (second from left) accepted over 200 snack bags from Paul Howard, chair of the outreach committee for St. John the Evanglist Church (left) , Rick Warren, people's warden, and Rev. Jim Roberts (right). The donation is from the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa's Bishop's Child Poverty Initiative.

EMC News - Thanks to a donation from the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, students at Duncan J Schoular had some nutritious snacks to look forward to when their recess bell rang last week.

The donation of over 200 snack bags from the Diocese's Bishop's Child Poverty Initiative will ensure that every child at the public school receives a bag. Each snack bag includes a juice box, granola bar, 100 per cent fruit roll up and stickers.

"We're just absolutely thankful," added Sandy McInnes, principal at the school. "That's going to bring a lot of smiles."

Rick Warren, representative of St. John the Evanglist Church is pleased to help the Bishop's Child Poverty Initiative reach out to local children and looks forward to further collaboration. The Bishop's initiative is a five-year, $300,000 campaign that aims to reduce the number of children living in poverty across Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. In one Western Quebec school board the bags are coupled with an education program that teaches students how to select healthy snacks for school. Nothing has been confirmed for this area as yet, but Warren is very supportive of this project moving forward.

"I certainly think that this is something that's viable," Warren said.

The Diocese feels that by teaching students how to make cost effective, healthy lunches that the cycle of poverty can be broken by developing critical skill sets. In his annual address to the Synod of the Diocese of Ottawa Bishop John Chapman had this to say of the Child Poverty Initiative.

" This marks only a beginning, but it is a hopeful beginning."

The need is certainly present in the local area. McInnes said an average of 30 to 60 students take part in their complimentary Breakfast Program. A large team of volunteers is needed to ensure such a program continues on, and McInnes is pleased to say the Duncan J Schoular team includes service clubs, church representatives, Friends of the Library, community and staff members.

"There's a bottomless pit of giving in this community," McInnes said.

For more information on the Bishop's Child Poverty Initiative go to www.ottawa.anglican.ca.