$720K grant awarded to St. Clair College to tackle homelessness and school nutrition programs
School nutrition and youth homelessness are two issues that will be tackled through a $720,000 grant awarded to St. Clair College by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
“The breakfast programs in my opinion are one of the most important resources that certainly our school has.” Said Mel Brown, principal of James L. Dunn Public School in downtown Windsor.
Nutrition programs are important to schools like James L Dunn. Their breakfast program feeds about 300 every morning and another 150 to 200 at lunchtime.
“We've noticed a dramatic drop in discipline issues since putting in the breakfast program,” said Brown. “We feed students every morning and it’s a chance for us to connect with them.”
The project involves the Ontario Student Nutrition Program South Region run through the VON locally.
Beckie Berlasty, program manager of research and innovation at St. Clair College, says the research group is working on creating a universal nutrition program, and hopes to roll out a pilot project by the end of the three year grant that will include help to feed and educate students.
“Understanding where it comes from. Why it's important. How it benefits them and involving families in that process too talking about what's culturally relevant for them in terms of foods,” said Berlasty who says the grant will also delve into how youth become homeless and barriers preventing them from exiting homelessness.
“That's a gap in our current programming. If we don't have accurate statistics and accurate data on those who are experiencing youth homelessness how do we develop programming accordingly.”
The research targets the 16-24 age group.
“It is eye opening that I fall into that category,” said Social Justice and Legal Studies student Sarah Wilkins. “Some of the things we’re looking at are pathways that lead youth to becoming homeless in the first place as well as some of the barriers that prevent you from escaping homelessness once they’re put into that cycle.”
Researchers are also looking at hidden homelessness like couch surfing.
“Youth maybe don't consider themselves homeless,” Wilkins said. “They don't access any of the services out there or they don't have the ability to access them in the first place.”
Family Services Windsor-Essex is partnering with this part of the project and would like to see more youth supportive housing like their new complex on the city's west end.
“So that youth are on a very short trajectory through homelessness so they become homeless, they're supported very quickly in gaining those skills they need to move on very quickly,” said Barb Iacono, housing manager at Family Services Windsor-Essex.
She hopes this research project can yield a result that will enhance programming available to youth in our communities.
“I hope we can use some of this data to do a better job supporting youth and collaborating better with our community partners.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.