The Province of Manitoba is teaming up with community organizations for a pilot program aimed at delivering nutritious food and recipes across the province, Families Minister Heather Stefanson announced Monday.
Stefanson said the new project will reach about 6,000 Manitoba children and will be supported by online resources for local families to learn more about nutrition.
The $2.5 million Home Nutrition and Learning program will be delivered by Winnipeg organizations Andrews Street Family Centre and Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, as well as Samaritan House in Brandon, Food Matters Manitoba in Cross Lake, and Bayline Regional Round Table in Thicket Portage.
“Our government believes that nutritious food and meal preparation can bring families closer together, and this investment will provide that opportunity to thousands of children and families experiencing food disruption because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Stefanson.
“We will connect thousands of children and their families with nutritious food, family-focused recipes and learning activities over the coming months.”
Participating families will receive packages of healthy foods as well as recipes and educational resources developed by the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba. The program launches this week in Winnipeg and is expected to spread to other areas in the province by July.
Dilly Knol, executive director of Andrews Street Family Centre, said the hope is to introduce families to different nutrition choices they may not have tried in the past.
“Andrews Street Family Centre has been providing 120 to 150 hot lunches to our community since COVID-19 began,” said Knol, “and this pilot program will allow the centre to support another 50 to 60 families with nutritious food, learning materials and menus.”
More information about the pilot program is available online at manitoba.ca/nutritionlearningprogram.
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