Back to school, but not ready to learn: 58 schools urgently seeking food support for hungry kids

A recent survey of 58 schools currently waiting for support from KidsCan found that every responding school is seeing children arrive without enough food to get through the day. In the survey, principals reported children missing school altogether because they have nothing to bring for lunch, or arriving unable to concentrate due to hunger.

More than half of responding schools reported running breakfast programmes five days a week, often without any external support.

“We provide breakfast for the children at our school, and if they are hungry throughout the day they can access the weetbix we keep for breakfast,” said one school principal. “There is also bread in the freezer for kids who come to school with no lunch, and staff often bring extra for kids who need it.

“We check the lunch boxes and sometimes a child might have half a packet of chips in there, and it’s not enough. I had 4 children recently who didn’t come to school at all because they didn’t have anything to bring for lunch. Think about that feeling of being really hungry – you just can’t concentrate when you’re hungry.”

Without access to organisations like KidsCan, who provide essentials that remove barriers to learning, schools report funding food themselves. This often means diverting money from operational budgets intended for learning resources, or, in some cases, covering costs out of staff members’ own pockets.

KidsCan is calling on New Zealanders to help ensure schools are not left choosing between feeding children and funding education – and that children can start the school year ready to learn.

“Principals are telling us that cost-of-living pressures are being felt in classrooms across the country,” says Julie Chapman, CEO and Founder of KidsCan. “Many families are doing it tough despite doing the absolute best they can, and this is showing up in children who don’t have enough basic sustenance to get through the day.

“Right now, we have 58 schools waiting for support from KidsCan in the form of food, shoes, jackets and health items. As children return to school this year, our goal is to raise enough money that we can take every one of these schools off our waitlist, and give these kids their best shot to shine.

“Hunger is a preventable barrier to learning – no child should miss out on education because they are hungry. With the right support, we can help children start the school year fed, warm and ready to learn.”

The findings from the KidsCan survey reflect a broader national picture, with 157,000 children living in material hardship across New Zealand and food insecurity now at its highest level in more than a decade, according to the Salvation Army’s latest State of the Nation report.

A donation of $30 a month can help KidsCan provide food and essential items that allow children to attend school, concentrate in class and be ready to learn.

As one school principal said, “Children should feel well-cared-for, safe, and full. If they don’t have that, they're not going to be learning. They may not even show up.”