STUDENTS AT all Whistler schools now have access to free self-serve fridges thanks to the Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS).
"It's awesome. It's just super low barrier for the kids," said interim WCSS executive director Lori Pyne.
"There's no judgment being passed if they access the fridge, and it's not done on a financial restriction basis at all, it's on the need of food ... if you're hungry, you can have lunch."
The fridges are stocked with healthy snacks like vegetables, fruit, granola bars and sandwiches, Pyne said, and are restocked by WCSS volunteers once a week.
"It gets replenished once a week, but the students can come at any time through the week to see what's in the fridge," said Whistler Secondary School vice principal Diane Hart.
"Sometimes there's more, sometimes there's less, so it just depends on the day of the week, but the kids can come at their break time or in between classes—anytime if they need something."
According to the Breakfast Club of Canada, one in four Canadian children may be going to school hungry.
"I think the research is probably sufficient to say that a fed stomach (contributes to) a healthier mind, that's able to learn, and we do see that in the afternoons," Hart said.
"If the students aren't eating lunch, or if they come in and haven't had breakfast, they're more apt to be tired, they're sometimes grumpier, they're more lethargic, and they're maybe not as engaged in their learning ...
"I'd say it's a good practice all around for them to be able to have access to food when they need it so they can focus on their learning instead of a grumbling tummy."
The school has always made an effort, whether through the Parent Advisory Council or the office, to have snacks or lunches available for students if they need them, Hart said, but the fridges provide "one more layer" of support.
"What I like to see is that they know that there's support there and they can get what they need," she said.
"So that's, for us, the main thing, is that they know that there's something there if they need it, and they can access it, and they can just quietly get on with their day. They don't need to go through a clumsy process to apply for anything or ask for it, they just know it's there."
Fridges for Myrtle Philip and Spring Creek were donated by Dayhu Investments, while Whistler Secondary and Waldorf Whistler are using fridges they had in-house.
WCSS is also planning a school breakfast pilot program for Whistler Secondary thanks in part to a fundraiser ran last month at Nesters Market.
"We've already kind of designed what the pilot program would look like, we just need money to implement it, and then if the pilot works we'll get a bigger grant to run a program for everybody," Pyne said.
The Whistler Food Bank hosted 2,490 visits in 2019, with children making up 24-per-cent of the visits.
Anyone interested in sponsoring a child through WCSS ($585 for a year, or $60/month) can head to www.mywcss.org for more info.
