Media release from Every Child Counts

Campaign For Food In Schools Eyes Budget Announcements

Members of the Community Campaign for Food in Schools hope the government budget on 16 May will provide the investment needed to meet the needs of the thousands of children who go to school hungry.

“With an estimated 80,000 children regularly arriving at school hungry, there is an urgent need to ensure that schools and communities have the resources to meet that need - and to work with families to address the underlying causes.  While community has a role to play in providing for these children, there is absolutely a role for government in ensuring that resources for food in schools are sustained until such time as child poverty is significantly reduced,” says Deborah Morris-Travers, manager of Every Child Counts. 

Campbell Roberts of the Salvation Army says, “Food in schools is necessary because of the economic and social hardship so many families are experiencing.  While it doesn’t address the systemic causes of poverty, food in schools does respond to the immediate needs of hungry children.  Feeding these children is a moral and ethical requirement and a wise investment in their health and education.”

Barbara Lambourn from UNICEF went on to say, “Food in schools can provide a focus for parental involvement in schools and can improve everyone’s wellbeing.  The Budget is an important opportunity for the government to demonstrate a commitment to addressing the impact of poverty – in the same way as they are doing with rheumatic fever.  We would be pleased to see greater government investment in food in schools to bolster their current investment and build on the contributions coming from businesses and communities.

“It would be good to see the government respond to the recommendations from children themselves.  They have identified hunger as their number one issue and have said that food in schools would be the best way to address it.  The Children’s Commissioner has suggested that $10 million could make a positive difference.  It would be encouraging to see a Budget announcement of this nature,” concludes Ms Lambourn

A growing number of organistions are supporting the Community Campaign for Food in Schools.  The campaign is promoting debate about the best way to implement food in schools and supports the ‘Feed the Kids’ Bill going to Select Committee when it has its first reading in June.

Facebook - Community Campaign for Food in Schools

Community Campaign for Food in Schools members include:

(as at 7 May)

Anglican Church

Auckland Action Against Poverty

Barnardos

Caritas Aotearoa NZ

Child Poverty Action Group

CTU Rūnanga

Every Child Counts

IHC

Methodist Church

NZ Educational Institute

NZ Nurses’ Organisation

NZ Principals’ Federation

Plunket

Poverty Action Waikato

PPTA

Quality Public Education Coalition (QPEC)

Salvation Army

Save the Children

Te ORA (Te Ohu Rata o Aotearoa):  Māori Medical Practitioners’ Association

Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko i te Ora (Māori Women’s Welfare League)

Te Waka Huia Māori Cultural Group

Tertiary Education Union

The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners

Unicef NZ

Women’s Refuge

ENDS

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