The Breakfast Club of Canada is worried it may have a hard time maintaining its existing school programs this year due to increased operating costs related to the pandemic, as well as rising food prices and other expenses.

Breakfast Club of Canada President and CEO Tommy Kulczyk says expenses for food, equipment and transportation are rising at a higher rate than revenues, and a shortfall of several million dollars is looming.

He says the club will not be able to support new breakfast programs in schools this year, even though demand is growing.

To keep current programs going, the Breakfast Club of Canada is launching a back-to-school fundraising campaign.

The club and its partners currently aid more than 580,000 children daily as part of 3,500 school nutrition programs across Canada.

There is currently a wait list of several hundred schools hoping for a school nutrition program.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 23, 2022.