Following five months of talks, We Are One Lunch Program and the Fogolar Furlan Club have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to begin a partnership.
The partnership will see the Fogolar serve as the head office, training facility and kitchen for the lunch program and its vendor network.
Fogolar president Larry Masotti says the partnership felt like the right next step for the club.
"Given the reason we exist. We are a not for profit organization founded by immigrants that came to the Windsor-Essex area, and it just aligns with the things that we're trying to do."
Following the test pilot lunch program at Roseville Public School in March 2024, We Are One sought a physical location that aligned with the values and objectives of the organization to ensure sustainable growth and community impact.
He says Fogolar has 14 acres of property with three buildings.
"One would be a head office area, number two would be a test kitchen where they could ensure quality of the foods being made, but because the program is not exclusive and would bring in a number of partners in the community, food service entities, they would need to be trained. We wouldn't be doing that, We Are One would be doing that on our property."
Masotti says they are still in discussions to provide daily lunches.
"Certain schools have been identified to the point of around 3,000 lunches a day, but again the intent of the program, and I'm speaking for our partner We Are One at this point, would be to involve other organizations so that everyone shares in the possible economic benefit here while doing the right thing."
We Are One has received a generous donation from the Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association (CIBPA), which will be used to fund a pilot program for the 2024/25 school year.
The organizations say more details on the initiative will be announced soon.
