Our Story

In 1988, an interchurch group who were investigating the use of food banks in the City of St. John’s, prepared a report entitled Poverty: The One Thing Money Can’t Buy. Their study concluded that in the many families that used food banks in St. John’s, that their children were being kept home from school because the parents did not have the money or food to send with their children for lunch.

To investigate this problem and to seek solutions, a committee called The Committee for Hungry Children was formed in 1988. After about a year of investigation and planning, a pilot project was started with funding from the Provincial Government. This pilot project would have lunches prepared and served to all students at Bishop Field Elementary School. On November 6, 1989 147 meals were served at the School which marked the beginning of the School Lunch Association.

Today, The School Lunch Association operates in 41 schools across Newfoundland and serves approximately 6,500+ meals per day. We still value our original mission statement and strive to operate a non-stigmatizing program that provides a hot, nutritious lunch for school children, regardless of a family’s financial situation.