The Mustard Seed's Byron Bradley (left) and Scott Tilbury (right), Red Deer Public board chair Nicole Buchanan (middle), and Fairview Elementary students celebrated a $39,000 contribution to The Mustard Seed's school lunch program on Thursday. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

$39,000

The Mustard Seed thanked big-time for continuing school lunch program

Nov 3, 2022 | 4:06 PM

The Mustard Seed received a very big thank you on Thursday from a local school division, and one of its schools which receives student lunches from the organization.

Fairview Elementary in Red Deer is among 49 schools around central Alberta which gets lunches each day as part of The Mustard Seed’s School Lunch Program.

On this occasion, Fairview students helped the Red Deer Public board of trustees present a cheque worth $39,000 to The Mustard Seed which will directly assist the school lunch program. The money is a portion of $250,000 in nutritional funding from Alberta Education, with the rest benefiting schools that have other meal programs separate from The Mustard Seed.

Mustard Seed lunches typically include a sandwich, fruit and a baked good, and have hit record highs recently.

Last Monday, said Byron Bradley, The Mustard Seed’s executive director in Red Deer, 637 lunches were delivered from Red Deer to Bowden to Elnora. A record 10,545 were delivered in October.

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Bradley said this year, the number of lunches they’ve made is up 25 per cent from 2021’s record high, and that’s not to mention the cost per meal has almost doubled due to inflation.

“It’s a tall responsibility, but it’s a great honour and privilege. Our vision is to reduce the effects of poverty and homelessness where we serve, and so it’s critical students have nutrition so they can learn,” said Bradley. “Many come to school on an empty stomach and so when we can be part of providing them a nutritional lunch, it’s a big deal. Those who haven’t eaten have a hard time paying attention and comprehending, so nutrition is very important.”

School Board Chair Nicole Buchanan added that the program teaches kids about nutrition.

“Times have certainly changed as food costs have gone up,” said Buchanan. “People struggle to ask for help, especially when it comes to food, and unfortunately there are kids in our classroom who are hungry.”

The Mustard Seed is always looking for volunteers to make lunches and deliver meals. To sign up, visit theseed.ca/volunteer or call 403-352-8028.