Penticton breakfast programs are working through challenges with COVID safety protocols at schools

Thousands of breakfasts are served each year at local schools by volunteer groups and charity foundations. Although COVID-19 protocols pose their challenges, Penticton’s breakfast programs are underway. 

“We’re off to a really good start as far as being prepared and having the food. Little slower start when it comes to the number of kids that are using the program compared to last year,” Johnny Aantjes, director for the Speedway Foundation said.

Currently their group runs breakfast programs at three schools, Queens Park, Columbia and West Bench Elementary, and they are hoping to see more kids come grab food as the new school routine is settled. 

Aantjes added that the program has been going well due to the management, volunteers and coordinators that have been able to set it up so well. 

“There’s a lot of people making this program work,” he said. “We’re glad to be helping to make it happen.”

While the Speedway Foundation has gotten their breakfast program going, other groups are still figuring out how to get underway. The Parkway Elementary program is facing challenges with low volunteer numbers and is figuring out how to safely serve food.

“Right now we only have five staff working for us and we need to recruit [more]. So I’d like to have three in each morning,” Donna Carpenter, who runs the Parkway program, said.

Their program is opening up on Oct. 5, and Carpenter has a big focus on getting all the food set up prior to be able to run smoothly. 

“[It’s for] any child that needs to be fed. Any child that wants to come so there’s no stigma.”

Both programs are always looking for more volunteers and donations to help keep kids fed before school, and for more information on either program, send an email to [email protected].