In the parking lot of St. Michael’s Catholic school, a line forms well before the scheduled 10 a.m. start. Parents with strollers, grandparents with shopping carts, and children clutching reusable bags wait patiently in the morning heat. This isn’t a summer fair or end-of-year celebration – it’s Windsor’s expanded Summer Nutrition Program, now serving over 1,200 children weekly across the city’s most vulnerable neighborhoods.
“We’ve seen a 38% increase in families needing food assistance since last summer,” explains Maria Contreras, program coordinator, as volunteers stack fresh produce boxes beside peanut butter, milk, and child-friendly snacks. “When school ends, so do breakfast and lunch programs many families depend on.”
The initiative, a partnership between the Windsor-Essex Food Bank Association and five local school boards, has expanded from three to seven distribution sites this year. The program specifically targets neighborhoods where more than 30% of children live below the poverty line, according to Statistics Canada’s latest community profiles.
For Windsor resident Tamara Dawson, who arrived with her three children ages 4, 7, and 10, the program provides essential relief. “Grocery prices keep climbing, but paycheques don’t,” she says, shifting her weight from one foot to another in the summer heat. “The kids are home all day now, and they’re always hungry. This helps us stretch what we have.”
The program operates differently than traditional food banks. Children receive nutritionally balanced packages designed specifically for their developmental needs, including fresh fruits and vegetables from local Essex County farms. Community dietitians helped design meal kits that children can prepare themselves safely, addressing another summer challenge – parents working while kids are home alone.
“We know from our school-year data that about 30% of students arrive at school without adequate nutrition,” notes Windsor-Essex District School Board superintendent Dr. Michael Chen. “Summer creates an invisible crisis we’re trying to address before it impacts fall learning outcomes.”
The program’s expansion comes amid troubling economic indicators for the region. Windsor’s unemployment rate sits at 7.3%, above the provincial average, while inflation has pushed food prices up 9.2% year-over-year according to the latest Consumer Price Index data.
City councillor Anita Rizzo, who helped secure municipal funding to match provincial grants, points out that food security programs deliver long-term savings. “Every dollar invested in child nutrition saves our healthcare and education systems approximately four dollars down the line,” she explains, citing research from the University of Toronto’s Department of Nutritional Sciences.
What makes Windsor’s approach unique is its dignity-centered distribution model. Unlike traditional food bank setups, the summer program includes mini farmers’ market-style sections where children select their own fruits and vegetables.
“We found kids actually eat more produce when they choose it themselves,” explains Contreras. “It also teaches food literacy while removing the stigma some children feel about receiving assistance.”
The program faces challenges despite its success. Storage limitations mean distributions happen just once weekly, while transportation remains a barrier for some families living in areas without convenient bus service. Volunteer driver Ibrahim Hassan spends Wednesdays delivering food packages to roughly twenty homebound families.
“I was a newcomer from Syria seven years ago, and community programs helped my children when we first arrived,” Hassan says, loading his minivan with the day’s deliveries. “Now I give back when I’m not working my regular job.”
Local businesses have stepped up too. Devonshire Mall hosts weekly food drives, while three grocery chains provide discounted food and transportation support. Still, program organizers worry about long-term sustainability as food costs continue rising.
Windsor Mayor Rebecca Fleming acknowledged these concerns at a recent council meeting but expressed optimism. “This program demonstrates what’s possible when our community recognizes that child hunger isn’t just a family problem – it’s our collective responsibility,” she said.
For eleven-year-old Jamal, who comes each week with his grandmother, the program offers more than nutrition. “I learned how to make pasta salad and smoothies,” he explains proudly. “And I get to pick vegetables I’ve never tried before.”
As Windsor’s summer heats up, the program’s organizers are already planning for fall. They’re collecting data on participating families to better understand neighborhood-specific needs and coordinating with school breakfast programs to ensure continuous support when classes resume.
“Child hunger doesn’t take a summer vacation,” Contreras reminds volunteers during their morning briefing. “Neither can our response to it.”
As the distribution begins and families collect their weekly packages, the parking lot transforms into something resembling a community gathering – parents exchanging recipe ideas, children comparing their produce selections, volunteers checking in with regulars. In a city still recovering from economic challenges, this summer food program represents something beyond nutrition: a community refusing to let its children go hungry, regardless of the season.
