“The work that the FirstOntario Blue Wave volunteers have been doing in the schools in Haldimand and Norfolk County has made the Student Nutrition Programs stronger and richer over the years. It has been really great to be able to say they are one of our partners in supporting the student’s health in our area.” -Sharon Smyth, Community Facilitator, Child Nutrition Network of Haldimand and Norfolk “They are wonderful! Blue Wave volunteers mean a lot to our breakfast program. All the kids really appreciate it.” Wendy Sullivan – Education Assistant and student nutrition program coordinator.

“I know I can say I’m thrilled to see FirstOntario Credit Union remain committed to SNP programs. I made the first presentation over 10 years ago to the Blue Wave team… just about volunteering in the program, and knew that once the employees got involved and felt the impact of the programs, they would indeed follow through with funding support, which they have done and continue to do.” -Darlene Edmonds, Food and Logistics Coordinator “FirstOntario Credit Union is a dedicated and highly-valued champion for the Student Nutrition Program. Their provision of Blue Wave volunteers has been incredibly beneficial for programs throughout our region, as it is an ongoing challenge to ensure that programs have adequate volunteers to meet the needs of students. If you could put a price on Blue Wave volunteers, they would be invaluable. Thank you FirstOntario Credit Union for your ongoing dedication and support.” -Tyler Arsenault, Regional Supervisor Student Nutrition Program

Niagara Nutrition Partners serves 17,000 students a healthy meal daily in 180 schools. For the past 5 years, FirstOntario has been instrumental in providing on-site support – with BlueWave teams cooking, preparing, and serving food in various school locations throughout Niagara. They also assist in coordinating and funding our Farm to School program. Each month, employees pick up and deliver bushels of apples direct to programs across the 12 municipalities we serve. Their commitment to ensuring local and fresh produce is available to students is imperative for the program to run. We truly value their provision! The FirstOntario team played a pivotal role in our response to the COVID-19 school closures. Their assistance allowed us to mobilize quickly and partner with other organizations to have food delivered directly to student doorsteps. During this challenging time, the true character of FirstOntario was evident – remarkable determination to help the community around them!