Local Love Week – United Way Oxford

Help us feed kids and build connections

As a response to the increasing food insecurity we are seeing in our community, United Way Oxford has chosen to focus our 4th Annual Local Love Week efforts on supporting feeding kids in our community. Food Bank usage in Ontario has seen double-digit percentage increases in visits, with 1 in 3 Canadian children at risk of going hungry every day. Funding for the Ontario Student Nutrition Program helps reduce school expenses while supporting essential health and educational initiatives for children in Oxford County.

The school snack program not only ensures students receive the nutrition they need to stay focused and thrive academically, but it also plays a crucial role in strengthening bonds among students and building relationships with local volunteers. The Ontario Student Nutrition Program also introduces students to new foods they may not have at home, broadening their experiences and encouraging healthy eating habits. From Friday, March 6 to Friday, March 13th, all online donations made through our Local Love Week page, as well as donations collected at the office and through workplace & organization drives, will go toward supporting Feeding Kids and Building Connections.

Our Local Love Week partners at Adams Building Supply are committed to fostering connections with the community and have generously provided a match incentive, doubling the impact of donations of any amount that are received throughout the week, up to $5,000. Every contribution helps ensure that no student goes hungry and that families feel supported.

Returning March 6 - 13

Local Love Week returns on Friday, March 6 and runs until Friday, March 13. Check back here or follow us at @unitedwayoxford to be the first to know when more details are announced!

Join Us

Together, we can create a community where every child and youth has the chance to thrive. For more information on how you, or your workplace, can join this year’s local love movement, call Megan Porter at (519) 539-3851 ext 314.

Jamie Adams, President, Adams Building Supply Limited, “at Adams Building Supply, we believe in the power of community and the impact that Local Love can have – and that is why we are proud to support United Way’s Local Love Week. Every child deserves access to nutritious meals to fuel their day and help them thrive, but we know that families face challenges in this economy. That is where we can all make a difference – together.”

Sierra is a volunteer with the Ontario Student Nutrition Program in Tillsonburg.

“Being part of the OSNP program has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Seeing how happy the kids get when they receive fresh, nutritious food, or even their favourite snack, reminds me just how impactful this program is.”

As with any program, there are challenges in ensuring everything runs smoothly week to week. The main challenge comes in the grocery haul, as Sierra visits local stores to carefully plan and purchase fresh food for the following Monday. With availability, pricing, and freshness varying each week, the snack program’s menu requires flexibility while ensuring the children have access to consistent, nutritious options.

“My reason for volunteering with the snack program was simple: I knew I wanted to be part of something that could have such a big impact on the students. Knowing that even a small effort can make a big difference in a child’s day motivates me to continue. At the end of the day, all that matters is that the students are happy and have access to nutritious food.”

As part of a collaboration with Southwestern Public Health, the kindergarten classes at Annandale Public School built a tower garden with carrots, romaine lettuce, radishes, and dill.

Funding from United Way Oxford allows the school to start their snack program earlier, with no downtime required between school years for extra fundraising, ensuring there is no gap between the first day of school and the first day of the snack program.

With help from their local community, including grocery stores, church groups, and the school’s administration, Annandale P.S. is ensuring that their families never have to worry about their children not having access to food.

Learn more about the Ontario Student Nutrition Program and how, together, we’re helping ensure that children and youth in Oxford County have the healthy nutrition they need to focus, learn, and grow. Every publicly funded school in Oxford County currently has a student nutrition program, and you can help ensure that they have the funding they need to provide those snacks to our local students. Every donation, no matter the amount, will have an incredible impact on a school in our community.