Ottawa teacher supplies donated baked goods for students as food programs struggle

Words by: The Globe and Mails’ Education Reporter Caroline Alphonso

Photos by: Spencer Colby for The Globe and Mail

Woodroffe High School teacher, Patrick Roux-Buhl, places unsold cinnamon bun rolls into a plastic bag at Mamie Clafoutis, a bakery in Ottawa's west end in Ottawa, on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail

Woodroffe High School teacher, Patrick Roux-Buhl, shares a laugh with an employee at Mamie Clafoutis, a bakery in Ottawa's west end in Ottawa, on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail

Woodroffe High School teacher Patrick Roux-Buhl, left, pets his dog, Tofu, at Mamie Clafoutis, a bakery in Ottawa's west end in Ottawa, on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail

Woodroffe High School teacher Patrick Roux-Buhl, right, and his wife, Fabienne, walk to their car after picking up unsold baked goods from Mamie Clafoutis, a bakery in Ottawa's west end in Ottawa, on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail

Co-owner of Mamie Clafoutis, Sophie Gourvés, helps a customer at Mamie Clafoutis Ottawa in the city's west end, on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail

Roux-Buhl, prepares to unload his car with unsold baked goods from Mamie Clafoutis, a bakery in Ottawa's west end at his home in Ottawa, on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail

Unsold bread from Mamie Clafoutis, a bakery in Ottawa's west end lays on top of a freezer in Patrick Roux-Buhl's basement in Ottawa, on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail

On a mild spring Sunday, Patrick Roux-Buhl and his wife, Fabienne, load their happy Maremma sheepdog, Tofu, into the backseat of their Toyota Prius for a vital drive to a trendy neighbourhood in Ottawa’s west end. A black fedora shields Mr. Roux-Buhl’s eyes from the setting sun.

His wife smiles as the couple discuss the purpose of their thrice-weekly trips.

“He’s a wonderful person,” she says.

“She’s so lovely,” he responds. “But I’m just trying to do my best.”

When they pull into the parking lot behind Mamie Clafoutis just before 6 p.m., the bakery’s staff are beginning to close shop for the night. As soon as they spot Mr. Roux-Buhl, they begin filling two large clear plastic bags with a bounty of breads – baguettes, French flatbread bursting with green and black olives, nine-grain rounds and a dozen glazed cinnamon buns larger than an adult hand.

Woodroffe High School teacher, Patrick Roux-Buhl, walks into school carrying unsold baked goods from, Mamie Clafoutis, a bakery in Ottawa's west-end neighbourhood on Monday, May 8, 2023. Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail

A record keeping book used to indicate how many students use the schools breakfast food program is seen on a table at Woodroffe High School in Ottawa, on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail

Education Assistant at Woodroffe High School, Jack Pensom, cuts a baguette from, Mamie Clafoutis, into smaller slices before being offered to students at the food program’s room at Woodroffe High School's in Ottawa, on Monday, May 8, 2023. Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail

A student cuts olive bread into smaller slices before being offered to students at the food program’s room at Woodroffe High School's in Ottawa, on Monday, May 8, 2023. Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail

A student (name not provided) picks up an apple from the food program’s room at Woodroffe High School's in Ottawa, on Monday, May 8, 2023. Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail

Resource teacher at Woodroffe High School, Cassandra Frye, hands a student (name not provided) a paper tower used to pick up food at food program’s room at Woodroffe High School's in Ottawa, on Monday, May 8, 2023. Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail

Woodroffe High School teacher, Patrick Roux-Buhlof speaks to his food studies students in his classroom at Woodroffe High School in Ottawa, on Monday, May 8, 2023. Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail

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