School Lunch Association

About Us

We are a registered charity dedicated to providing healthy, affordable, and non-stigmatizing lunches to children across Newfoundland and Labrador. Our core mission is simple: feed children, fuel learning, and build brighter futures. We achieve this through a unique pay-what-you-can model, ensuring that every family, regardless of financial situation can participate. Payment amounts remain confidential, so no child ever feels singled out or excluded.

Our journey began over 35 years ago, in response to a pressing need identified by an interchurch group in St. John’s. Their 1988 report, “Poverty: The One Thing Money Can’t Buy,” revealed that many children from low-income families were missing school simply because there wasn’t enough food at home. Determined to find a solution, a passionate group called The Committee for Hungry Children formed, with support from the provincial government.

On November 6, 1989, the very first School Lunch program was launched at Bishop Feild Elementary in St. John’s. That day, 147 hot lunches were served to every student in the school with no questions asked and no child left out. It was a small but significant step, and it sparked a movement that continues to grow to this day.

From one school and 147 meals in 1989, the School Lunch Association now serves 46 schools across the province, delivering over 7,100 hot, nutritious meals every school day. That’s more than 1.2 million meals annually, thanks to the trust and support of families, schools, staff, and community partners.