Fairmont Hotel Vancouver has launched its Elementary School Food program for the 2024/25 year, Meals that Matter, providing local students facing food insecurity with healthy, hearty, and nutritious take-home dinners throughout the school year.
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, with expertise in hospitality and chef-driven culinary programming, brought the Meals that Matter concept to life in 2021 after a desire to fill a need meal period that was limited through existing after-school programs. After a successful pilot program, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver donated over 1,500 nutritious frozen dinners to Vancouver School Board, which distributed the meals to families within its district.
For the upcoming school year, the hotel pledges to donate more than 2,000 dinners with further donations directed to support in-school nutritional programming. Fairmont Hotel Vancouver invites guests to join the cause by adding an optional $10 donation ($10 = 2 meal donations) when reserving a room directly through the hotel’s website. Meeting and convention groups can also donate to the cause during their program dates by making a donation in any denomination to the hotel’s program through the Vancouver School Board by visiting the link here.
Each dinner is designed with nutrition and flavour in mind, offering a rotating menu of monthly features that follow the guidance of Canada’s Food Guide and adhering to food safe practices. Each meal delivers a healthy and balanced take-home dinner to further provide children with access to the nourishment they need to learn and thrive. The Vancouver School Board will make a monthly pick-up from the hotel, resulting in the donation of 200 meals per month.
“We are honoured to have the opportunity to support a meal period for children that is otherwise not as easily accessible,” comments Adam Laker, General Manager, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. “Our team loves being able to get creative with the meal choices to deliver healthy and delicious meals for deserving families in the region.”
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver has been a landmark icon in the city since 1939, with a deep commitment to giving back to the community in which it resides. The hotel works with organizations such as BC Children’s Hospital, Make-A-Wish BC & Yukon, as well as Breakfast Club of Canada, resulting in the adoption of a new school program as a result, with a focus on supporting youth and families in Vancouver.
Did you know? Food Insecurity is a public health issue across British Columbia and has become increasingly more challenging with the rise of inflation and food costs. A BC Centre for Disease Control study found that one in six children under the age of 18 experience a level of food insecurity. For further information on the Meals that Matter program or to make a donation, please visit: fairmont-hotel-vancouver.com/meals-that-matter.
