One woman’s call to action has galvanized a community of early risers – now there’s breakfast on the table to give local school kids a healthy start to the day.  nspiration has a way of showing up when you least expect it. For Carolyn Griffis, a Toronto realtor on vacation in Jamaica in December 2006, it was reading John Grisham’s novel The Street Lawyer that triggered events still unfolding to this day. Moved by Grisham’s tale of a young lawyer on the fast track who opts for a career defending the homeless, Carolyn resolved to find a way to give back to her own community. Once home, she searched for a family in need of support over Christmas and was directed to a neighbourhood community centre attached to Secord Public School. Soon after, visiting the centre in the middle of the holiday rush and asked if she was a volunteer, she answered: “What is it that you need?”

That was how Carolyn, a RE/MAX Hallmark agent and single mother of two, first learned that Secord school, like many others in high-needs communities across the city, didn’t have enough volunteers or funds to support its breakfast program past December. “Kids were going hungry,” she says emphatically. “I had no idea this could happen in Toronto. My office is literally walking distance from this school and I realized we needed to do something.” Carolyn headed back to work: within 15 minutes she’d rallied 10 volunteers, and by day’s end, with contributions from co-workers and her broker, raised $1,700 a month. Within 30 days, Carolyn – with her irresistible enthusiasm and can-do attitude

had won over enough volunteers to ensure the children’s breakfast program was a success. She signed up 50 realtors for monthly donations and raised enough funds to sustain two school programs until June.

Food for thought
It’s understood that nutritious food is essential to student development; teachers report better focus in class, improved social behaviour, better attendance and higher grades. Well-fed children are ready and able to learn. Another benefit, explains Durward
Anthony, the Nutrition Liaison Officer for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) who works with Carolyn, is the chance for students to learn healthier eating habits. Once introduced to new food groups, such as whole wheat bread, broccoli, strawberries and other fresh fruits (“Watermelon is a huge hit!” Carolyn exclaims), students begin to influence what food is served at home.

“We’re the only industrialized country that doesn’t have a national nutrition program for students,” comments Anthony. It costs anywhere from $5,000 to $8,000 to run a breakfast program. Families are asked to contribute and schools are expected to raise funds locally; municipal and provincial funding covers only a portion of the costs. “The breakfast we serve the children costs about a $1.00 per meal. The government
allocates 30 cents. That’s a shortfall of 70 cents per child, per day,” states Carolyn. When funds donated by volunteers fall short, Carolyn’s team hosts fundraising events, raising more than $20,000 this year alone.


“It’s true what people say, you get a lot back from doing something like this and it gives you insight into the lives of others.”

For the volunteers there are rewards on many levels: some report finding a new sense of purpose in their lives; others feel they were one of those children. Everyone is invited to bring along friends and family, and play games with the students. “We want to engage the community,” explains Carolyn, “and we want our own children
to recognize how fortunate they are.” Her children – in their early 20s – have loved being a part of this. “I’m hoping this experience has an impact not only on the school kids but also on the way our own children live their lives.”

Lives of others
For Carolyn, piloting this program has been an experience like no other. She’s learned some life lessons along the way, she says, about not making judgments: “We simply can’t know the realities of other people’s lives”; about leadership, friendship and
fostering community; and about caring for the children. “The kids are a joy,” Carolyn enthuses. “Watching as they change from the beginning to the end of the year is a
remarkable journey. Some of them are just learning to speak English; they’re saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, and starting to make friends. It’s truly rewarding knowing they’re going to class well fed and ready to learn. This program’s called ’Feeding Our Future’, and I think that says it all.”

One morning recently, a man telephoned the TDSB and said: “Is it true that real estate agents are feeding the children breakfast? If it’s true, please thank them for feeding my two children.” H&L