Meet your Foodbank Coordinator

2020 was a year of phone calls, video meetings and inducting 500 new schools to the program. Given the lack of face-to-face contact last year, we thought it would be nice to interview your Foodbank coordinators so you can find out a bit more about them and what they were like at school!

Breanna De Jong
Breanna has been with Foodbank for a year and a half and coordinates the School Breakfast Clubs Program across the northern suburbs as well as north eastern Victoria and some of western Victoria including Horsham, Ballarat, Shepparton, Wodonga and Wangaratta.

What school did you go to?
Simpson Primary School and then Timboon P-12 School.

What was your favourite subject at school?
I enjoyed a lot of subjects in school so I’m not sure I had an absolute favourite. I have very fond memories of art class in primary school. I also really enjoyed VCE Health and Human Development and Australian History!

The best thing about school was….
The people. I went through high school with a great bunch of people! There was only 30 of us in Year 12, so we were all really close. Although we’ve all gone on to do different things, we still occasionally catch up, and it is as if nothing has changed!

Favourite place to visit on a work trip?
That’s a tough one. The areas I cover are vastly different, but there is something to love about all of them! I love a bush setting so getting to travel to Wangaratta, Wodonga and the surrounding alpine area is always enjoyable and beautiful! I always make time to visit a local bakery or café in each town I travel to so suggestions are welcome…

What do you enjoy most about your role as Program Coordinator?
There are lots of things I enjoy but one of the most rewarding is when I get to visit schools and see breakfast club in action and meet the people who keep it going. Each school has a different way of delivering the program to students, so it’s always lovely to hear of the innovative ways schools utilise the program to assist students and families. I also really enjoy hearing about the community that makes up the school.

Clara Hilsen
Some of you may remember Clara who has been part of the School Breakfast Clubs team for nearly 4 years and is now Senior Program Coordinator. Clara coordinates the program in parts of metropolitan Melbourne, including the inner north, north western and eastern suburbs.

What school did you go to?
St Kilda Park Primary School and Elwood Secondary College.

What was your favourite subject at school?
English and Literature.

You’ve been sent to the principal’s office… why?
For moving the fruit display around in still life drawing class.

Favourite book you read in school?
It was a play – The Importance of being Earnest by Oscar Wilde.

What do you enjoy most about your role as Program Coordinator?
Playing a role in giving every student the opportunity to start their school day with breakfast.

Sean Lasslett
Some of you might also remember Sean who started at Foodbank three years ago as School Program Coordinator and now Program Lead. Sean manages schools in parts of metropolitan Melbourne including the inner eastern and north east suburbs.

What school did you go to?
Seaford Primary and Seaford High School (in SA).

What was your favourite subject at school?
All sports and all sciences (except chemistry….)

What did you want to be when you grew up?
For many years there was no doubt I’d be playing for the Adelaide Crows alongside Tony Modra.

You’ve been sent to the principal’s office… why?
Remote learning, before it was on trend!

Favourite place to visit on a work trip?
I moved to Melbourne when I started working on the program 3 years ago, so have loved visiting many schools in regional Victoria in places I’d never been before. I love seeing the gold rush era buildings scattered around Victoria.

What do you enjoy most about your role as Program Lead?
Without a doubt it’s hearing the stories schools share with us about the impact this program can have on their school community. Hearing the efforts of many schools to support their students and families during the recent bushfires and pandemic has been very inspiring. I’m proud that we can help contribute to that support.

Tim Rodrigo
Tim has been with Foodbank for over two years and coordinates the School Breakfast Clubs Program across the East including Frankston, Mornington Peninsula, Bass Coast, Morwell and East Gippsland.

What school did you go to?
Ruthven Primary School and Lakeside High School in northern suburbs Melbourne. Sadly, both were demolished.

What was your favourite subject at school?
Literature.

You’ve been sent to the principal’s office… why?
It usually had to do with being out of uniform in some way.

Favourite place to visit on a work trip?
Having family originally from the Gippsland lakes area, it’s always nice to visit there.

Do you put your cereal in the bowl before the milk or the milk in before the cereal?
Cereal always goes in before the milk!

What do you enjoy most about your role as Program Coordinator?
The ‘hands on’ aspect of meeting staff, volunteers and students, and assisting them to get the most out of their program.

Leticia Searle
Leticia has been with Foodbank for over three years and coordinates the program across the inner western suburbs and most of Western Victoria including Mildura, Warrnambool, Hamilton, Bendigo and Geelong.

What school did you go to?
I grew up in Perth so I went to Dianella Heights Primary School and then did high school in Victoria at Catholic Regional College!

What was your favourite subject at school?
Without a doubt drama and then later Theatre Studies. Although I also enjoyed Health and Human Development and Psychology!

You’ve been sent to the principal’s office… why?
I skipped English class to try and get concert tickets. I didn’t succeed at the tickets, but I did succeed in English class!

Favourite place to visit on a work trip?
There are so many places! I like going to the small regional towns because I’m not sure I would have visited if not for my work. I enjoy going up to Mildura as I have family there, I love the drive and valleys around Coleraine, and I always appreciate a Term 4 trip along Great Ocean Road!

What do you enjoy most about your role as Program Coordinator?
How long do I have? I love that this program is collaborative and that I get to work with so many incredible people who care about their students as much as I do. It brings me joy to be able to help support a school to run the program to their full potential and it is quite rewarding to be part of a program that supports all students and can change a child’s day.