About the Ontario chapter
The Ontario Chapter of the Coalition for Healthy School Food (ON-CHSF) is a provincial chapter of the Coalition for Healthy School Food, administered by Sustain Ontario.
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The ON-CHSF is a growing network of over 95 non-profit and community-driven organizations from across the province. Our members, endorsers and supporters include student nutrition and food literacy providers, professionals from education, health, agriculture and food sectors, academia, as well as school boards, local governments, and stakeholder associations.
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Since 2021, the ON-CHSF has been a leading united voice calling for policy change and public investment from all levels of government so Student Nutrition Programs in Ontario can be stabilized, enhanced and expanded, and additional school food program models including more lunch programs can be supported going forward.
At the national level, we’re working to ensure the $1B in school food funding will roll out quickly and expand over time. Our Coalition’s vision is that eventually all K-12 students in Canada have daily access to nutritious food at school in line with our key Guiding Principles and the National School Food Policy.
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Ontario Chapter activities include:
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Advocating to Ontario and Federal Governments for public investment in school food programs, and recommending provincial policy improvements;
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Engaging with a wide variety of school food stakeholders in Ontario and growing the school food movement;
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Offering opportunities to connect, share information, network, and learn from diverse practitioners across Ontario and Canada;
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Advancing knowledge and understanding of school food programs by sharing research on leading and innovative models, best practices, and program outcomes.​
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ON-CHSF members and endorsers value the opportunities we provide to connect, share, and collaborate in the efforts of building robust and well-supported school food programs. We host meetings, organize knowledge-sharing webinars, provide updates, and offer support for members and endorsers to educate decision makers and the public about school food. Our work is collaborative, flexible and adaptive, member-driven, and non-partisan.
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If you are not yet a Coalition member or endorser, we would love to have you join us and be part of the school food movement! Here is an overview of what it means to become a Coalition member or endorser.
You can sign up to be a member or endorser here.
For more information, contact Sarah Keyes, Ontario Chapter Lead of the Coalition for Healthy School Food, sarah@sustainontario.ca | 613-929-6145
Meet the Ontario Chapter team
Sarah lives and works in Ottawa on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabe People.
Sarah has a background in research, policy, and project management, and is passionate about working with others towards food systems change. She led experiential, community-connected food literacy programming in BC and ON, policy advocacy in Ontario, and a curriculum support project before stepping into her role with the Coalition. Sarah is thrilled to be working to advance school food programs in Ontario and Canada alongside so many leaders and inspiring advocates.
Sarah is also the Food Literacy Lead at Farm to Cafeteria Canada, and has a Masters of Environmental Studies degree from Dalhousie where she focused on food system sustainability.
Heather has worked with non-profit organizations related to food, farming, health, and the arts at the local and provincial level for over 25 years, including most recently as a Food Procurement Coordinator in support of Ontario student nutrition programs.
She has extensive experience in project coordination, community outreach, facilitation and partnership building. She and her partner operate LoonSong Farm, growing organic grains in Northumberland County.
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Heather is glad to be part of the Ontario Coalition team, working to build the movement and support strong school food programs in Ontario.
Carolyn lives and works in Ottawa on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabe People.​
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Carolyn facilitates network conversations, writes briefing notes and policy submissions, communicates with policy makers, and develops materials to help members make the case for investment and support from all levels of government.
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She also works as Research and Knowledge Translation Lead for Farm to Cafeteria Canada and is the Coordinator of Sustain Ontario’s Edible Education Network.