Regina non-profit collecting produce donations to help feed children

A pile of donated vegetables is seen in this image. (Source: Regina Food For Learning/Facebook)

Regina Food For Learning (RFFL) is calling out to all gardeners who have excess produce looking for donations of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The local non-profit has been feeding students for over 30 years providing healthy snacks and meals snacks to schools with at-risk-children and youth who have requested nutritional support.

Lin Gennutt, executive director of RFFL, said they are looking for just about anything when it comes to fresh donations.

“We can break them up and use them in muffins or mini loaves or breakfast cookies, stuff like that gets some extra vegetables into the servings for the kids,” said Gennutt.

All food is prepared by volunteers on-site, with the schools coming to pick up once a week.

Currently, she said, 14 schools are utilizing the School Feeding Program supporting over 900 students from pre-kindergarten up to Grade 12.

Gennutt said for the program, nutrition is at the forefront at all times following the Canada Food Guide.

“We’re really proud of the quality and quantity of the food that we send to the kids,” said Gennutt.

With the rising cost of food, the organization is financially struggling, and RFFL said those donations help them out a lot when it comes to costs.

“The more kids we can feed that happy we’ll be.”

Gennutt explained she used to work in schools and from her experience, kids who show up hungry can’t concentrate.

“They can’t control themselves, their behaviours escalate, their attendance is poor, but once you feed them they settle right down and they can get to work and they feel that somebody cares about them,” she said.

Donations can be dropped off at RFFL in the Core Ritchie Neighbourhood Centre from 8 a.m. to noon Monday to Friday.