Farm Boy expands ‘nourish to flourish’ program to support more Ontario schools in 2025

SPONSORED CONTENT

Farm Boy is proud to announce the return and expansion of its flagship charitable program, nourish to flourish, aimed at enhancing student access to healthy food and empowering young Ontarians with the knowledge to make lifelong healthy choices. Now entering its second year, the initiative has grown significantly in reach and impact, reinforcing Farm Boy’s ongoing commitment to food and nutrition, children and youth and their communities

Launched in collaboration with Sustain Ontario and Farm to Cafeteria Canada, the 2025 nourish to flourish program will deliver $161,000 in funding to 46 schools across Ontario. This marks more than a threefold increase over the 2024 program, which provided $55,000 in grants to 30 schools.

Through a tiered grant system, schools will receive support ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to enhance food literacy programming and improve in-school meal programs. The breakdown includes 16 grants at $1,000, 15 at $3,000, 10 at $5,000, and 5 top-tier grants of $10,000.

“Now more than ever, we need to support our communities and make access to nutritious and healthy food for the children in our province easier,” said Shawn Linton, President and General Manager at Farm Boy. “nourish to flourish is designed to cultivate healthier communities here in Ontario and encourage students to build lifelong healthy eating habits.”

From meals to mindsets

More than just a donation program, nourish to flourish is about building knowledge and resilience. Schools receiving grants can use the funds to boost existing in-school meal programs, create student-led gardening initiatives, purchase kitchen equipment, or develop food-related curriculum experiences that engage kids in learning about nutrition, sustainability, and where their food comes from.

As of 2024, Sustain Ontario and Farm to Cafeteria Canada will support the full lifecycle of the initiative – from the application process and promotion to the school selection and resource development. Their continued partnership helps ensure that each participating school not only receives funding, but also gains access to tools, guidance, and opportunities to share success stories with other communities.

“The enthusiasm and engagement that we have seen as a result of the nourish to flourish initiative shows that this opportunity is invaluable,” said Phil Mount, Chair of the Board of Directors of Sustain Ontario. “We are proud of the work we have been able to do with Farm Boy and are thrilled to launch year two of the initiative and provide even more opportunities and support for children in schools across Ontario.”

Customer support helps drive growth

To help fund this expanded initiative, Farm Boy is launching an in-store fundraising campaign from May 29 to June 15, where customers will be invited to make donations at checkout.

Applications for the 2025 grant cycle will open on May 5, 2025, and eligible Ontario schools are encouraged to apply early.

An ongoing commitment to community

Since opening its first store in Cornwall in 1981, Farm Boy has grown to 51 locations across Ontario, with a reputation for fresh, wholesome foods, excellent in-store experiences, and meaningful community involvement. The nourish to flourish initiative reflects the company’s belief that good food can do good things – not just for individual health, but for entire communities.

The inaugural 2024 program confirmed the need for and success of the initiative. It empowered schools with flexibility to meet their unique needs, whether that meant supplying healthy food to students, setting up a school garden, or hosting or field trips to a local farm to deepen students’ understanding of local food systems.

For Farm Boy, this is only the beginning. As the company continues to grow, so too will its investment in programs like nourish to flourish that align with its core values of health, education, and community well-being.

For more information on the nourish to flourish initiative, eligibility details, and how to apply, visit farmboy.ca/nourishtoflourish.