Back to School Project 2021

The first day of school is important as it sets up a long-lasting attitude towards school and peers. Teachers recognize that students with a good start are far more likely to succeed as arriving prepared for the school day helps students feel confident in their ability to function in the classroom. But, back-to-school time can be a burden for many families who live under the poverty line for many reasons. One main reason is some families not being able to afford school supplies. Starting the school year with the needed school supplies helps to set a student up for success, but (based on the 2016 census) 1 in 8 children and youth in Waterloo Region were living under the poverty line. This equalled 14,485 children and youth from 0 to 17 years of age living in our community with low income.  Of these  14,485 children and youth, over 2,500 live with chronic hunger. Because of this, when the 2021-2022 school year starts, a large number of children and youth will be faced with the struggle of not having the right supplies to start the year.

COVID-19 has heavily impacted everyone, including the children and youth in our community. The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) research team surveyed more than 1,000 parents of children and youth aged two to 18 years old, and nearly 350 youth between 10 and 18 years old, over the course of April to June of 2020. Final reports show that 70.2 per cent of school-aged children (six to 18 years old) and 66.1 per cent of preschool-aged children (two to five years old) reported deterioration in at least one domain of mental health - depression, anxiety, irritability, attention span, hyperactivity, and obsessions/compulsions. Financial strain, in addition to mental health struggles during COVID-19, within families is causing immediate harm to the mental health of children. Due to this, those in poverty have faced the greater consequences of these unprecedented times.