Hope in a Backpack

Eliminating Financial Barriers to Education in Halton  

By Marc Clare | CEO | Halton Learning Foundation (HLF) 

The Halton Learning Foundation’s Team receives daily requests from schools across the Halton District School Board. Each one represents a student facing financial barriers to education. Some are urgent. Some are heartbreaking. All of them matter. 

One recent application came from a high school identifying a student who had been abandoned by her mother and was living in transitional housing, at risk of entering a shelter. School staff were already surrounding her with care (i.e., social workers, guidance counsellors, support teams), but she also faced immediate financial needs that could not be met through traditional channels. 

The note that followed from the school was simple and grateful. The support, they shared, was invaluable during a profoundly challenging time. 

That’s the hook. That’s what keeps me inspired. It’s sad that there’s a need—but I love that we were able to help. 

The Halton Learning Foundation (HLF) exists for this reason. Formed in 2004 as an independent registered charity, our sole purpose is to eliminate financial barriers for HDSB students. We focus on three core areas: emergency needs through its Eliminating Barriers program, School Engagement Grants that support initiatives not funded by the Ministry, and post-secondary scholarships and bursaries. 

Last school year alone, nearly 3,700 students received support, an 85% increase over two years. 

But HLF does not have rooms full of clothing or food – logistically, we are not set up for this. Instead, we provide financial assistance (often grocery gift cards) so families can choose what they need most. Warm hats and mittens in winter. Groceries so a child can concentrate in class. Vitamins for children with deficiencies. Boots for the snow. 

Yet, the tangible items are only part of the story. 

Backpacks symbolize the heavy burden students carry when their families experience financial stress. Donors may help provide boots or food, but they are also providing dignity, equity, inclusion, and hope. 

At a networking event, someone once shared with me, that growing up in poverty, something like HLF would have made a difference. “When you have the heavy burden of financial stress,” she said, “your sense of self is really low. For somebody to come along and offer you a helping hand of hope can make all the difference.” 

That truth stays with me. 

HLF is entirely community-funded. No direct government or school board funding sustains our work. Donors make it possible to say “yes.” 

Looking ahead, our vision is clear: help more students, create greater awareness, and raise the funds necessary to meet growing need. Through initiatives like HLF Month in April, community partnerships, a donation-matching sponsor, student talent showcases, cycling fundraisers, and even gaming-for-good events, awareness is growing. 

The need is real. So is the generosity.  

And in classrooms across Halton, students are carrying backpacks that feel just a little bit lighter. Thank you for your kindness and compassion! 

Story curated by Phillip McAllister 

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This post is part of a larger CDH Member Story Project. The intent is to share the depth of our non-profit sector, name how community can support and imagine together what is possible through the non-profit sector to ensure Halton is a health, inclusive and resilient place to live. 

Are you a CDH member and want to let your story to the project. You can get started HERE.