Winnipeg Parent volunteers used to be scarce – many parents of the 170 kids at Brooklands School work one or two jobs, and some speak little English. But when principal Irene Thiry and educational assistant Cindy Stewart began a modest school snack program a year and a half ago, they were pleasantly surprised by the response. “We've never had a program so embraced by the community,” says Irene. “Parents who never came to the school before come because they know how to bake and prepare food.”

This year, with increased funding from Breakfast for Learning, the program has expanded, and some of the volunteers are taking on more – in school and out. “We have one regular volunteer whose husband died,” says Cindy. “All the other volunteers got together and cooked for this woman and her family. This small program has brought the community together.”