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BHP provides $1.15 million to feed students Sarah Ferguson Northern News Services Published Monday, July 4, 2011
Northern mining giant BHP Billiton extended its partnership with Breakfast for Learning NWT when it announced a five-year deal worth $1.15 million on June 24; the contribution makes BHP Billiton the largest supporter of Breakfast for Learning in the NWT. The announcement was made in the legislative assembly's Great Hall during a "free healthy lunch" provided by BHP Billiton. "This donation represents a commitment to children of the North and contributes toward a legacy of well-nourished children in the NWT," said Dana Britton, co-ordinator of Breakfast for Learning NWT, in her address to the luncheon's guests. "I can have all the passion in the world for my job and what Breakfast for Learning is working to accomplish, but without support like BHP's, we could do nothing," Britton said. The funding will help bring healthy food to students in all NWT communities with the exception of Kakisa, which Britton said did not apply for the program. Laura Tyler, general manager of operations for BHP Billiton's Ekati Diamond Mine, said the company has helped fund Breakfast for Learning NWT since 2007, when it first donated $10,000 to help provide healthy breakfast, lunch and snack programs to students at 21 schools across the North. In 2008, BHP also donated $300,000 over a three-year period to the program. "At that time, we were feeding approximately 1,500 kids. Now, we are providing support to 47 schools, and we are feeding over 4,600 kids, which is a little over half of the school age kids in the NWT," Britton said. Presently, all but two of the territory's 49 school's have expressed a need for the program in 2011. "Good nutrition is essential to an attentive and curious mind; Our contribution is part of our commitment to the next generation of Northern leaders," Tyler said. Alexander Legaree, team leader for communications with Ekati Diamond Mine, said although the funding will fund the Breakfast for Learning program, it does not cover all the costs incurred by the organization. "The funding BHP has provided doesn't cover all the requests that the program receives or needs; BHP hopes that its donation will spur other businesses to ... join the cause of providing good nutrition to Northern children," Legaree said. "Together, (both organizations) will continue to ensure that children across the NWT will be able to concentrate on their studies, not their stomachs," Britton said. Breakfast for Learning has been funding healthy breakfast, lunch and snack programs in the NWT since 1992.
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