A very special breakfast was held at W. Earle Miller Public School on Thursday.

To celebrate Volunteer Week, the school held a Mayor’s Breakfast.

The breakfast was an extension of the Student Nutrition Program – which offers daily breakfast choices for all children.

The VIP guest list included Timmins Mayor Steve Black, The Canadian Red Cross, Anti-Hunger Coalition Timmins, Student Nutrition School Program volunteers and FREGGIE, the healthy eating mascot of the Porcupine Health Unit!

Volunteers are the backbone of student nutrition programs. Research on school breakfast programs show a positive association between participation and improved test performance, educed absenteeism,, increased attention and improved behaviour.

It costs approximately $1.50 to provide 3 food groups to one child each day.

The Timmins Branch of the Red Cross is one of 14 lead agencies around the province that deliver student nutrition programs funded in part by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.

In 2013-2014, the Timmins Branch of the Canadian red Cross administered funding to 82 schools from Moosonee to New Liskeard, serving 12,745 students – a total of 976,966 meals!