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Students and staff at UGDSB are living free for a day

March 3, 2017

GUELPH, Ontario – March 3 is Live Free Day. Many children across the province live without the necessities that some may take for granted. On March 3, Upper Grand District School Board students and staff are taking the Live Free challenge.

This challenge has participants living free of something for the whole day. This can be something they take for granted, love to do or a regular treat they give themselves. Whether it is going without your morning coffee, bringing a bagged lunch instead of buying one or not spending money that day, students and staff will be put to the test.

Participants can join in the challenge to help raise awareness or, they have the option to collect sponsors while they live free. Many participants choose to donate the money they would normally spend on themselves to the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington Food and Friends program. Several UGDSB schools are choosing to hold events, such as breakfasts or fundraising challenges for students.

The Food and Friends program exists to ensure that students receive the right nourishment they need to focus on learning. Numerous studies have shown that children who go to school hungry do not perform as well as other children. The Children’s Foundation wants to ensure that all children have the necessary means to reach their full potential.

The Children’s Foundation Food and Friends program supports 107 snack, breakfast and lunch programs in Wellington, Dufferin and Guelph. For some of the students, this food is the only meal they have in a day.

Every dollar helps, $10 provides 11 healthy snacks, $20 will provide 10 breakfasts for high school students and $261 will provide breakfast to an elementary student for the whole school year.

For more information about Live Free Day, please visit: http://www.livefreewdg.ca/about-live-free

Staff and students are encouraged to tweet @ugdsb pictures and stories about how they are living free on March 3, using the hashtag #livefreeday.

Categories: News