One east-end school board trustee has made a personal push to help a local school breakfast program, donating the first portion of his yearly raise to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

Ottawa Catholic School Board trustee Stephen Blais’ donation of $2,500 will go towards providing equipment, program monitors and food for the more than 11,000 students in 145 schools who use the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation-run school breakfast program.

“Children who arrive at school hungry do no perform well in the classroom,” added the Orléans-Cumberland representative in a statement released Wednesday, Oct. 28. “Studies have shown that students who are fed are more alert, develop greater self-esteem, have better attendance and have fewer discipline problems.”

The program is open to pupils in all four local school boards, identified by teachers, social agencies or parents as potentially benefiting from participation, and offers a combination of drinks, fruit, cereal and bread products each morning.

“I, as many of my colleagues, have seen the tremendous difference that a breakfast or nutrition program can make in the lives of the students and families we serve,” added Pat Morden-Lahey, principal of Orléans’ Divine Infant Catholic School.