My Why: A story from Denise, e4c Nutrition Support Worker

My family is very privileged to be part of the e4c School Nutrition Program, both my children being offered healthy food in their school and myself being a Nutrition Support Worker with the program!

In 2015 my son started kindergarten at John A McDougall School where my daughter was attending Grade 2. I was a stay-at-home Mom now wanting to start a job, now that both my kids were in school. After school daycare was not an option for me, so I needed a job that would be flexible with my children’s school hours and having the summer off. Did this dream job even exist!?

With luck on my side, I received a call from a friend that knew I was looking for a job. She mentioned that the e4c School Nutrition Program was hiring, and even better at John A McDougall! This job would give me all the flexibility I wished for plus the holidays and summer off. I applied right away and here I am, 7 years working my dream job!

At first this job was just convenience for me, but soon it developed into so much more. I get to see the wonderful things e4c supports and witness it first hand through the School Nutrition Program. I get to serve a healthy morning snack and lunch to students that need it the most, I see the appreciation of parents, I get to see the excitement in the students, I get to see students not worry about their meals, I see the teachers being able to give a snack to a extra hungry student, I see the smiles and receive the kindest words of gratitude.

The School Nutrition Program is very much needed and appreciated and I get to be a big part of that, which I am very grateful for! Along with having this amazing job with e4c, my own children don’t have to worry about their own food security. When times are tough, it has been wonderful being able to rely on the nutrition program.

Having a healthy lunch provided daily is one less thing my family has to worry about. My family knows that we are taken care of both financially and physically. What a wonderful feeling! THANK YOU E4C!!!

-Denise, e4c Nutrition Support Worker