ELIMINATING FINANCIAL BARRIERS
No student should be left behind in education
because of financial challenges
More than 1 in 10 students of the Halton District School Board live at or near the poverty line. When children lack basics like proper clothing, food and school supplies, it has an impact on their ability to learn. HLF provides immediate financial support to a growing number of vulnerable students and their families who are in crisis. Annually, our Eliminating Barriers Fund provides more than 2,000 students with emergency funds that help them continue coming to school, or allow them to be included in school activities so they can fully participate in learning.
"The Barriers Fund support is always much more than funds and material goods –
it is about students knowing that we care about them."
Principal
How the Eliminating Barriers Fund works
- HLF accepts requests from principals, teachers and social workers on behalf of students or their families.
- The request must support a student’s basic personal needs, contribute to helping the student come to or stay in school, or allow a student to participate in a school activity they can’t otherwise afford.
Emergency Funds and Subsidies Support
- Groceries/lunches/cafeteria vouchers
- Clothing, footwear, hair cuts, hygiene items
- School supplies
- Emergency family situations (parental death, fire, abuse)
- School trips and extra-curriculars
- Elective school subjects and course fees
- Safety shoes, uniforms or tools for co-op placements
- College application fees
Benefits
- Having proper nutrition can positively impact a student’s physical health and the ability to focus academically
- Having clean clothing and appropriate school supplies can build self esteem and a sense of inclusion
- Participation in extra-curricular activities can build social/physical and emotional resilience and exposes kids to learning opportunities they might not otherwise have
- Support is provided mainly in the form of gift cards, providing students and their families with privacy and the dignity to choose those items that best meet their needs
Learn more about how Eliminating Barriers support impacts students and families.
