A Lifeline for Students: Weekender Program Continues
Tanya Noyes • October 1, 2025
United Way Leeds & Grenville connects the Weekender Program for Students with Loaves & Fishes to ensure kids facing food insecurity are supported every weekend.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Loaves & Fishes to Carry Forward Weekender Program for Students Thanks to Community Partnership
Brockville, ON – Oct 1st, 2025 – The future of the Weekender Program for Students (WP4S), a vital 10-year initiative, providing food baggies each weekend throughout the school year to local students who live with food insecurity, has been secured through a new partnership with Loaves & Fishes.
The WP4S was looking for a new home, a Canada Revenue Agency Registered charity for the 2025/26 school year. Recognizing its importance, Loaves & Fishes has stepped forward to “adopt” the WP4S, providing financial oversight, operational support, and governance to ensure its stability and long-term success.
Donations for the Weekender Program for Students will now be accepted and receipted by Loaves & Fishes (please put WP4S in the memo/comment section of the donation). Both Loaves & Fishes and the Weekender Program for Students will operate with their own budgets, and both rely on the continued support of the community to thrive.
Laura Roobol, the 10-year volunteer Coordinator of the WP4S, will continue to provide day to day program management, and will execute the program with the assistance of the 23 dedicated WP4S volunteers, all supported by Loaves & Fishes’ Board of Directors and team.
This partnership was facilitated with the support of United Way Leeds & Grenville (UWLG), which played a connector role to ensure the program could continue under the stewardship of an experienced community organization.
“We are so grateful to Laurie and the Board of Directors at Loaves & Fishes for taking on this program, and to Laura for embracing this new partnership,” said Hailie Jack, Executive Director of UWLG. “The continuation of the WP4S shows the power of collaboration and how, together, we can make sure children/teens in our community have what they need to thrive.”
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About the Weekender Program for Students
During the 24/25 school year the WP4S provided 378 weekend food baggies, every weekend, to local students (JK-G12) who live with food insecurity, across 22 schools in Leeds & Grenville. The WP4S team delivers 2 weeks of baggies to each Partner School, every other Wednesday, throughout the school year. The schools then discretely hand out the baggies on Fridays for the students to take home with them. The WP4S baggies help bridge the nutritional gap these students experience when school food programs are not available to them on the weekends.
About Loaves & Fishes
Loaves & Fishes is a trusted local registered charity dedicated to addressing food insecurity in our community. Through the feeding of people, community is built.
About United Way Leeds & Grenville
United Way Leeds & Grenville mobilizes the power of community to address pressing needs, support local non-profits, and create lasting impact. By connecting people, resources, and organizations, UWLG helps build a stronger, healthier community for all.
Media Contact:
Hailie Jack, Executive Director United Way Leeds & Grenville
613-342-8889 | ed@uwlg.org
Loaves and Fishes Contact: Laurie Prichard loavesandfishesbrockville@gmail.com | 613-345-6498
Link to L&F donations: E-transfer: financelafb@gmail.com (auto deposit no password required) EFT available contact L&F for details.
