Harvest Manitoba Launches Meals2Go Program in Brandon Schools

BREAKING: Harvest Manitoba has officially launched its Meals2Go student nutrition program in Brandon schools, aiming to combat growing food insecurity among students for the 2025-26 school year. The initiative, which began last year, now serves Betty Gibson and King George schools, distributing approximately 600 essential weekend meal kits to support students in need.

As the need for nutrition support continues to rise, Harvest Manitoba’s president and CEO Vince Barletta emphasized the urgency of the program. “The need across the province has just continued to grow and grow,” Barletta stated. Each meal kit contains healthy options like milk, yogurt, cheese, cereal, fruit, and carrots, ensuring students return to school on Monday energized and ready to learn.

Every week, 500 to 600 bags are packed at Samaritan House Ministries, a local food bank partner, and distributed to students from kindergarten to Grade 8. The number of bags delivered is directly linked to student enrollment, meaning this year’s totals may increase if school populations do as well.

Barletta noted that support from Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning has been crucial for expanding the program, which has also reached new schools in Winnipeg, Opaskwayak, and plans to extend to Thompson in the new year. “We have incredible support from partners like the K&P Talbot Family Foundation and corporations like Cisco, Cargill, and ADM,” he added.

Despite rising food prices posing challenges, Harvest Manitoba’s purchasing power helps keep nutritious food accessible. The weekend meal program will operate throughout the school year and continue during summer months with pop-up distribution sites to ensure families have access to food.

“We’re proud of the work we do with Samaritan House in Brandon and across Manitoba,” Barletta said. “It’s heartwarming to see communities come together to make sure students don’t go hungry.”

The weekend meal initiative, which began in 2018 as Breakfast2Go, now supports 7,000 students weekly across 21 schools in Winnipeg, Brandon, Opaskwayak Cree Nation, and Thompson.

For more details on the Meals2Go program or to support Harvest Manitoba’s broader mission, visit harvestmanitoba.ca. This urgent initiative is a testament to community resilience and the commitment to ensuring that no child goes hungry in Manitoba.