The FEED powered by Loblaw
Making Power Full Kids: Shantelle Rhynold, Executive Director, President's Choice Children's Charity
In this episode of The FEED powered by Loblaw, host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Shantelle Rhynold, Executive Director of President's Choice Children's Charity, for an inspiring conversation about addressing child food insecurity in Canada and how school food programs help kids learn, grow, and thrive. Recorded live at Loblaw's head office, this episode explores how a national team of just nine people reached a remarkable milestone: feeding one million children. Shantelle shares her nine-year journey with PC Children's Charity, from a promotional planning role at Loblaw to marketing and fundraising, and now into executive leadership. She explains the charity's mission, removing hunger as a barrier to learning, and why feeding kids with dignity and without stigma is at the heart of everything the charity does. Listeners will learn how the Power Full Kids program works in nearly 2,200 schools coast to coast. Rather than shipping food, the charity provides flexible funding so each school can build the breakfast, snack or lunch program that fits its community. Programs must be universally accessible, run at least four days a week, and pair a fruit or vegetable with a protein or grain. Shantelle also explains the charity's equipment support, school audits, and mid-year funding reviews as it extends its reach to all three Canadian territories this year. Because Loblaw covers administration costs as founding partner, 100% of customer and community donations go directly back into communities. She also describes how Loblaw's network of stores, distribution centres and store support teams rallied together to help the charity hit its one-million milestone. Shantelle explains how the in-store checkout roundup program turns micro donations into major impact, and why small change matters when Canadians are feeling the pressure of food affordability. The conversation also digs into food education and innovation. Shantelle shares memorable stories from the field, including cooking with harvests from a hydroponic container farm in a remote northern Indigenous community in Saskatchewan, and a cheese-making class in Sarnia that revealed the power of hands-on learning. She previews the charity's next chapter: smaller, mobile hydroponic growing towers that teach kids how food travels from seed to plate. Michael and Shantelle also discuss how charities, provincial and federal governments, and like-minded organizations can collaborate without duplicating efforts, and why food insecurity is an invisible issue that exists in every community. Looking ahead, Shantelle says the priority is to make feeding one million children a sustainable annual commitment, then fill the gaps where help is needed most. Whether you're interested in Canadian retail, corporate social responsibility, school nutrition, food security or community giving, this episode offers an inspiring look at how Loblaw and PC Children's Charity are making a difference, one child at a time. About Your Host, Michael LeBlanc Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax. Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025 and 2026. Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail. If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ , on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok. Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.
