Page 29 - ECF_Thrive-Sept-2025

Brain
Food
Students’ minds can’t run
on an empty stomach
By RENATO PAGNANI
A RUMBLING STOMACH is a barrier to learning. For an
increasing number of students, this is a daily reality that
doesn’t just affect their focus but their overall well-being
and academic success. With both childhood poverty and
food insecurity in Edmonton at an all-time high, Top-ups for
Tummies provides funding to Edmonton schools to increase
access to nutritious food for students who need it most.
The program, launched by Edmonton Public Schools
Foundation in 2024 and supported by a Community Grant
from the Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF), operates
on the idea that schools know their students best. “Top-ups
is an initiative that allows schools to be responsive to the
unique circumstances of the students they serve,” explains
Christine Simmons, a former principal who now works as
a supervisor in Strategic Division Supports for Edmonton
Public Schools. Top-ups for Tummies empowers schools
to apply for funding to address gaps in their existing school
nutrition programs and to offer timely access to nutritious
food during the school day.
This flexible approach allows for a range of
responsive solutions. Some schools use the funding for
a fruit bowl in the office, while others provide cereal and
milk for students who missed breakfast. A high school
even pre-loaded gift cards for its cafeteria so students
could purchase food alongside their peers without
stigma. This innovative, equity-driven model is crucial
because food insecurity doesn’t look the same at schools
across the city.
When basic needs like food are not met, students
are not able to participate successfully in their learning.
“We know they’re not engaged, they’re not focused, they
have no energy,” says Simmons, adding that this can also
lead to a long-term disconnect from school. By providing
access to healthy food at school, Top-ups for Tummies
helps mitigate student hunger and allows them to focus
on their learning.
ECF has been instrumental in getting the program
off the ground. According to Catherine Bay, Acting
ecf.ca
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