Can you guess how many children receive free breakfast at Surrey schools each day?
Shockingly, through some 57 breakfast programs, more than 1,500 students are fed breakfast daily.
These are undoubtedly needed programs, considering it was revealed in the 2016 B.C. Child Poverty Report Card that Surrey has 23,480 children living in poverty.
That’s more than anywhere else in Metro Vancouver.
And, the city’s Guildford, Newton and Whalley neighbourhoods were identified as having the highest concentration of poor children in the region.
See more: Surrey has highest number of children living in poverty in Metro Vancouver: report
Lois Layton is principal at Bonaccord Elementary and before that, served as principal at Mary Jane Shannon.
Those schools are just two of 22 in the Surrey school district that participate in the Attendance Matters program, which goes far beyond just feeding children breakfast.
“I can honestly say that out of any intervention we have done in terms of student achievement… I think Attendance Matters has hit it right on the nail in terms of supporting kids and making improvements,” Layton told the Now.
“Children are not only getting their nutritional needs met, but emotional met too.”
Through the program, outreach workers are matched with kids who are chronically absent, or tardy, with a focus on breaking the habit before it’s too late. The workers often visit the students’ houses – sometimes in the form of a “walking school bus” – to make sure children make it to school and receive breakfast there.
“It’s an offer of reaching out and helping parents who, for some, are in incredibly complex situations in their own life. We just try to provide some tools and supports to help get their children to school in the morning,” she explained.
And of course, mentorship and building connections at school are a major focus as well.
While many children benefit from the breakfast programs the schools offer, Layton said the Attendance Matters program is truly changing lives.
See more: Breakfast program at Surrey schools changing lives in vulnerable areas
“When they get to the classroom at 8:30 after the program, they’re ready to go. Before they’d be coming into the classroom and either be sleepy and not ready to focus or they’d be on the other end and be very stressed,” she said.
“Some of these families are in really dire situations.”
Layton said she can think of more than a dozen cases where the program has changed the story of a student’s academic life.
“If they’re here, they can learn. If they’re not here they’re not learning anything. I’m thinking of a couple kids right now, stories that stand out, and regardless of whether their parents are capable they get themselves to school. These are feel-good stories.
“The program is making a difference.”
Without the support of donors for these programs, many Surrey children wouldn’t make it to school or receive breakfast.
Anyone interested in donating to the programs can email donations@surreyschools.ca or call 604-595-6066.
