Edmonton Meals on Wheels begins serving hot lunches to students at St. Teresa of Calcutta school

Edmonton Meals on Wheels has launched a student meal program at St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Elementary School in Boyle Street, east of downtown, serving hot lunch to every student four days a week. The partnership, called Lunches for Learning, represents the organization's expansion beyond its core mission of five decades delivering prepared meals to seniors.

Exec director Adam Zawadiuk said the organization wanted "to expand who we're helping and who we are serving in the community." "We know that there's a lot of schools out there, and a lot of kids who don't have access to a healthy and nutritious lunch," Zawadiuk said.

The school receives meals including lasagna, multiple sandwich styles, beef stir-fry, and mac and cheese, each accompanied by healthy snack options such as fruit slices and vegetables. Thursdays are early dismissal, so the program runs four days.

Cheryl Shinkaruk, manager of programs and projects with Edmonton Catholic Schools, noted food insecurity is a reality for many families facing rising food costs across the city. "The students are really excited because it's an opportunity for them to be able to access nutritious, hot and cold lunches," Shinkaruk said.

For some students, especially newcomers to the school, the meals offer more than nutrition. "It's an opportunity for many of them to try something different," Zawadiuk said. "Some of the kids are newcomers to the school, and these are new things that they're getting to try for the first time. Not only are they getting something nutritious, but they're trying something new and broadening their horizons."

Edmonton Catholic Schools and Edmonton Meals on Wheels have not announced whether the program will expand to other schools.