Up to one-third of our students come from families that earn below the poverty line of $20,000 a year.

Soaring prices for groceries and other basic essentials are creating an even greater burden on families who are experiencing financial challenges.Never has the need been greater. But never has it been easier to help those in need.

Did you know:

• AFL can feed one student for an entire day on just 67 cents?
• AFL provides 1.2 million meals every month, feeding 71,000 students in 167 schools?
• During the school closure at the height of the pandemic, AFL provided grocery gift cards to families totaling millions of dollars through the Food for Kids program?
• AFL supports TCDSB students and their families year round through the Angel Foundation’s Social Work Emergency Fund, the Loretto Fund for newcomers, the Reliable Life Fund, student bursaries and other Guardian Angel Programs?
• For each person who opts in to the Cents Off initiative, AFL can provide nutritious meals for one child for an entire month? Just think of what could be accomplished if all employees opted in.
• Your annual contribution through Cents Off totals less than $25, but that money can feed one child for an entire month?
• Just 20% of all eligible staff are currently signed up? Just think how many more students we could support if everyone participated!
• We continue to do random draws every two weeks for a small gift pack from among all who are signed up for Cents Off?
• The Cents-Off program, which is available to all TCDSB employees, could be our largest reliable source of revenue?
• Your contribution through the Cents Off program is tax deductible and will be reflected on your annual TCDSB T4 slip?
• Signing up just takes a few seconds?

If you want to donate more than a few cents per pay, you can choose to increase your donation to a set amount each pay-cheque.

If your circumstances change and you wish to alter the donation amount or opt out of the program, all you need to do is notify payroll.

Note: If you have recently changed positions within the board, please check that you are still enrolled in the Cents-off program. We have had teachers (especially those in LTO positions) and administrators report that they no longer see the cents coming off their pay-cheques when they move to a new school or position. If this is the case, you must re-enroll!!! Thank you for your support.