Niagara Nutrition Partners (NNP) is a region-wide student nutrition program supported by United Way Niagara, that works directly in schools to provide daily snacks and meals to 24,000 students across the region every school day.

“We know that poverty knows no neighbourhood and hunger can affect any student. I like to say ‘what might be a necessity for some is often good for all’ and every student could likely benefit from the availability of healthy snacks and food at school. Making it universal avoids the program becoming stigmatized.”

In order to maximize healthy child development, NNP delivers a universal program accessible to every student. This approach ensures that no student feels stigmatized for receiving food support, as it is inclusive of all students regardless of background, family income, gender, or race. “We are operating more than 200 programs at 171 schools right now, rural and urban,” said Jessica Stephenson, Program Manager of NNP. “We know that poverty knows no neighbourhood and hunger can affect any student. I like to say ‘what might be a necessity for some is often good for all’ and every student could likely benefit from the availability of healthy snacks and food at school. Making it universal avoids the program becoming stigmatized.”

NNP relies on the dedication of more than 1,000 volunteers to successfully operate and each program looks different to cater to the needs and values of the students it benefits. From offering culturally significant foods to newcomers all the way to engaging students in meal prep – NNP is nourishing young bodies and minds across Niagara.

Access to healthy food is central, but NNP is more than that. It empowers children to navigate social interactions, forge friendships and cultivate life skills far beyond the classroom.

As adults, we are not at our best when we’re hungry so how can we expect that of children? We send them to school to learn and participate, in academics and socially too. “There was this young man who was struggling with emotional regulation and causing disruptions in the classroom,” recalled Stephenson.
“Knowing he needed a break from the classroom when this happened, his teacher turned it into a positive experience. They gave him the job of delivering food to classrooms and quickly saw an improvement in his ability to positively regulate his emotions but also provided valuable lessons about the importance of
nutrition. They even dubbed him ‘head chef’. Engaging with the program has really made a difference for him, it’s heartwarming.”

Access to healthy food is central, but NNP is more than that. It empowers children to navigate social interactions, forge friendships and cultivate life skills far beyond the classroom. Thanks to the support of our donors, we can ensure essential programs like this can continue to make a difference in the lives of thousands of students and their families.