Rotorua Now – KidsCan welcomes a feeding program for children under five

KidsCan welcomes the government’s announcement of a new early childhood feeding program to support 10,000 preschoolers living in poverty.

Since 2019, the charity has been providing food and clothing to children in early childhood centers in areas of high deprivation, after teachers cried out for support. It now supports 205 centers across the country.

“The early years are fundamental: hunger through poverty doesn’t start at five o’clock,” said Julie Chapman, CEO and founder of KidsCan.

“Research shows that this is a crucial period in brain development, during which a child can last a lifetime.

“The right food plays a big role, and we are very pleased that this funding will help more children in poverty get the fuel they desperately need.”

Early childhood teachers are seeing increasing hardship, and more than 5,000 children in 150 centers are now waiting for support from KidsCan.

The charity will work as a provider of the new government programme, hoping to reach every child on the waiting list.

Research from Waikato University found the KidsCan program made a ‘valuable difference’ to the wellbeing of preschoolers.

Every child receives morning tea with fresh fruit and yoghurt, and a hot lunch or sandwiches five days a week.

Centers choose from a range of recipes supported by the Heart Foundation, including chicken stir-fry, tuna pasta salad and vegetable lasagna. Ingredients are delivered to them every week.

Teachers reported that children had more energy, were more engaged and that illnesses were reduced.

Many centers also share the recipes with families so they can make them at home.

KidsCan was also approached by the government to share its knowledge from 18 years of feeding children at school.

The charity supports 889 schools across the country by providing breakfast meals and snacks, complementing the Ka Ora, Ka Ako programme.

It also provides hot meals to schools that don’t qualify for government lunches but still have hungry students.

Schools order what they need each semester, including yogurt makers and pouches, canned fruit, spreads, fresh bread, baked beans, granola bars and nuts.

Heat-and-eat meals include curries, soups, beef bolognese, pasta and rice, made by companies such as Pitango and Campbells.

“KidsCan believes that feeding students at school is more important than ever. With 36,000 more children in poverty than last year, unfortunately more children are receiving their staple food at school,” says Julie.

“We are pleased that Ka Ora Ka Ako will continue for every student currently receiving it – and we would like to see the focus continue to be on providing fresh, nutritious lunches that children want to eat.

“We primarily provide non-perishable food support to reach as many children as possible across New Zealand, shipping more than 1.5 million items from our warehouse every year.

“It is cost-effective, can be easily stored by schools and reduces waste.

“Food insecurity has increased dramatically over the past three years and we are committed to alleviating hunger for as many children as possible.

“Particular favorites are the fruit pots, fresh bread with spreads, butter chicken with rice and beef bolognese with pasta.

“Our fresh food offering is limited by funding, but we believe it is important that Ka Ora, Ka Ako includes fresh food.”

KidsCan will not tender to provide school lunches under the revamped government program – it does not have the capacity to support such a large scheme.

The charity will continue with current provision, including breakfast, warm coats and shoes and socks, so that pupils come to the classroom ready to learn. There are currently 87 schools waiting for support, many of which were previously deciles 5 and 6 and did not receive Ka Ora, Ka Ako. KidsCan does everything it can to reach these children as quickly as possible.