Kate White and Yukon First Nation Education Directorate’s Melanie Bennett commit to food for every child in every Yukon school
September 29, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 29, 2025
Territories of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and Ta’an Kwäch’än Council, Whitehorse, Yukon – Kate White announced today that Yukoners can count on a Yukon NDP government to help families with costs by providing food for every child, in every school.
Standing with Melanie Bennett, Executive Director of the Yukon First Nation Education Directorate (YFNED) outside of Takhini Elementary School, White committed to working in true partnership with First Nations education leaders to build a territory-wide universal school nutrition program.
“Yukon families are struggling to afford groceries and what’s available right now isn’t working,” said White. “Right now, the national school food program is just a buck forty four per kid per day. That isn’t enough to feed Yukon kids.
Leaders like YFNED have done the hard work to feed students, and it’s time they had a team they can count on. Our Yukon NDP team will partner with leaders like YFNED to lower costs for families and make sure every child in the Yukon gets the food they need to learn.”
The announcement follows the federal government’s recent decision to end funding through Jordan’s Principle for YFNED’s Rural Nutrition Program. For years, YFNED has provided two healthy meals a day, snacks, and food hampers to 13 rural Yukon communities through this program. This loss of funding means thousands of children in the territory are at risk of going to school on an empty stomach, and families will see their food costs go up.
“I’m hearing every day from families impacted by the funding cuts. Many Yukon parents are having to choose between rent and food,” said Bennett. “We’re proud to work with Kate White and the Yukon NDP on this program because healthy, well-fed families become healthy community members. Together, we can create a made-in-Yukon approach that supports families and ensures no child is left behind.”
The Yukon NDP’s plan will:
- Immediately partner with YFNED to restore the Rural Nutrition Program.
- Expand school food programs so every child in every school has access to healthy meals.
- Work case-by-case with schools and local leaders to ensure the right resources are in place, from school kitchen renovations to hiring local cooks and support staff or working with local businesses.
“YFNED has already done the hard work to build solutions for Yukon kids,” added White. “We’re not going to duplicate or water down their success. We’ll learn from it, strengthen it, and make it universal. We’ve partnered with the YFNED to help Yukoners before, and you can count on us to do it again. ”
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