Thousands of kids to enjoy breakfast thanks to $1m funding.

Following the government pledge of $1m to help expand our School Breakfast Program, Foodbank has been working hard to register the 62 schools targeted under the program.

This enabled us to take a proactive approach, contacting schools to let them know about our program and start providing breakfast as quickly as possible where needed.

We are delighted that we have been able to exceed that target and for the start of Term 3 we will have 70 new schools, 28 of these in regional Queensland.

Foodbank has predominantly serviced schools in South East Queensland. Working with local agencies we have stretched as far afield as Maryborough, Kingaroy and Toowoomba. This funding has allowed us to expand our reach north to Bundaberg, Gladstone, Burdekin and Townsville, as well as reaching a greater number of children in the south east.

Foodbank estimates that up to 24,000 children are fed via the program, equating to over 66,000 meals per week in 261 schools across the state. Our partners, Adventist Development and Relief Agency in Townsville, Global Care Community Food Outreach in Bundaberg, the YMCA in Brisbane and may other smaller agencies have been instrumental in making this expansion possible.

Nadia Boyd volunteer for ADRA Townsville had the following to say about the outcome of this collaborative endeavour. “As a parent myself it’s hard to believe there are kids out there going to school hungry.”

“These breakfasts are essential to the health and well-being of students and see that they not only enjoy their education but also provide them with the energy to thrive and succeed in the classroom.” ‘Without the support of Foodbank and local donors such as Tip Top we could not provide this vital service,” says Nadia.

Foodbank is actively seeking local business supporters for local schools. If you would like to sponsor a school in your area, please contact us.