Yellowknife Inn

NNSL photo/graphic



 Features

 Front Page
 News Desk
 News Briefs
 News Summaries
 Business Pages
 Columnists
 Sports
 Editorial
 Arctic arts
 Readers comment
 Find a job
 Tenders
 Classifieds
 Subscriptions
 Market reports
 Handy Links
 Best of Bush
 Visitors guides
 Obituaries
 Feature Issues
 Advertising
 Contacts
 Today's weather
 Leave a message


SSISearch NNSL
 www.SSIMIcro.com

NNSL on CD

. NNSL Logo
SSIMicro
Home page text size buttonsbigger textsmall textText size Email this articleE-mail this page

Hungry kids get fed
Nakasuk School starts Saa (Table) program

Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Published Tuesday, March 30, 2010

IQALUIT - Kids at Nakasuk School don't have to worry about going hungry thanks to a special program introduced this year.

NNSL photo/graphic

School Community Counsellor Christa Kunuk in her office at Nakasuk School in Iqaluit. Kunuk started a school initiative that allows hungry children to get food at school. - photo courtesy of Brian Manning

School community counsellor Christa Kunuk began the Saa program, or Table program in English, this school year after noticing some kids not getting enough to eat throughout the school day.

"Some kids would come to me and say 'I'm hungry, there's no food at home'," she said. "We do have some children who, from time to time, go through that."

Kunuk said the program is simple. The school's pantry contains food donations from parents and other community members. Much of the food gets donated during the Christmas season, especially during the annual Christmas concert, but it is also donated throughout the school year.

Children can then go to Kunuk and simply ask for food if they are hungry.

"It's been really great," she said. "Kids will come in and ask."

Kunuk said while ensuring kids have enough to eat is important, it is just as vital to make sure the kids aren't ashamed to ask.

"I don't know the circumstances," she said. "I want them to be happy, healthy children so I don't judge if they're hungry. I see that as 'let's just feed them.'"

"I felt like kids, when they come to school, they shouldn't feel embarrassed or worried about not eating."

Some children were not comfortable asking for food in the beginning, Kunuk said. But over time the idea has become commonplace.

"They're very comfortable now," she said.

Kunuk said no one can live up to their own potential if they're hungry and this is one of the main messages she wants the kids to understand.

"If they want to succeed, there is no shame in it. We're all there to help one another," she said.

She also said taking control of the situation can help students realize they have decision-making power in their own lives.

"'I'm hungry and I need to fix this,' it just sort of empowers them," she said.

We welcome your opinions on this story. Click to e-mail a letter to the editor.