EDMONTON – An important First Nations breakfast program is entering Alberta for the first time thanks to a partnership between AltaLink and national organization ONEXONE.
The program – made possible by a $50,000 donation from AltaLink – will provide hundreds of students from Paul Band First Nation and Ermineskin Cree First Nation with a daily nutritional breakfast that will give them the fuel they need to succeed.
“We’d like to thank AltaLink for coming on board as a sponsor to bring this important initiative to Alberta,” said Joelle Berdugo Adler, founder of ONEXONE Foundation. “First Nations children suffer the greatest levels of poverty among all children in Canada. They do not always know where they will find their next meal and they are unable to consistently access nutritious and adequate amounts of food necessary for a healthy life.”
In Canada, 40 per cent of First Nations children live in poverty, compared to the national average of 17 per cent. Since the ONEXONE First Nations School Breakfast Program first began in 2008 it supports more than 4,500 children from 30 First Nations communities across Canada each year, which equals more than 600,000 balanced breakfasts.
“As Alberta’s largest electricity transmission company, it’s important to us to support the communities where we operate,” said Ed Rihn, Aboriginal Relations at AltaLink. “We’re proud to partner with ONEXONE to bring this breakfast program to Alberta to support the growth and development of our province’s future Indigenous leaders. Our hope is that it will help students stay in school, learn, develop and meet their full potential.”
The healthy meals that ONEXONE has been providing to children at the start of each school day have been shown to have an overwhelmingly positive impact on learning, creativity, test grades and even attendance.
“We know the impact that a nutritional breakfast can have on our students’ success,” said Debbie Michael, principal, Ermineskin School. “They want to work hard and do amazing things, but it’s not always easy to do on an empty stomach, so we are thrilled to welcome this program to our school and look forward to seeing our students thrive as a result.”
About AltaLink
Headquartered in Calgary, with offices in Edmonton, Red Deer and Lethbridge, AltaLink is Alberta’s largest electricity transmission provider. We are committed to meeting the province’s demand for electricity, providing innovative solutions, and partnering with our stakeholders and communities in doing so. AltaLink’s community investment program, Linked to our Communities, supports youth across Alberta every year.
About ONEXONE
ONEXONE’s vision is to improve the lives of children in Canada, the United States, Haiti, and around the world with programs dedicated to five fundamental pillars: water, health, education, play and nutrition. Founded in 2005 by Joelle Berdugo-Adler, ONEXONE works closely in partnership with carefully selected local organizations on the ground in each area of focus around the globe. ONEXONE was founded with the philosophy that every single life is precious and that as individuals we can make profound difference in the life of another human being, one by one.
– 30 –
For more information please contact:
Amanda Sadleir
Communications Advisor
AltaLink Management Ltd.
Phone: 403.585-7289
Email: Amanda.Sadleir@altalink.ca
Shoraez Shahjahan
Communications and Project Manager
ONEXONE Foundation
Phone: 416.901.1291
E-mail: Shoraez@onexone.org