To have a healthy body and mind a person needs to have enough good quality food. This is especially true for children and youth. It is one of the key ways to prevent illness. Lack of enough healthy food results in physical and mental problems – this impacts our happiness, well-being, ability to work, need for social assistance, etc. A healthy body and mind is the base for individual success and that of our Island as a whole.
The PEI Home & School Association has identified this, and wants school food programs that provide enough healthy food for all Island students – school food programs that use locally produced food and support local businesses.
Prevention of illness is the best way to reduce health care costs. Our government spends only 1.2% of our Health & Wellness budget on illness prevention. We need to do more, and I wholeheartedly support the project to create school food programs that the PEI Home & School Association has put forward. If implemented correctly school food programs should help break cycles of poverty and poor health, create jobs, and in fact end up saving money in the long run and stimulate a more prosperous Island.
