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© 2025 KidsCan. All rights reserved.

KidsCan Charitable Trust is registered under the Charities Act 2005 CC10386

Keeping kids fuelled

Each year, we provide more than 5 million items of food and 3 million nutritious lunches to children experiencing food insecurity – fuelling their engagement and learning.

School Support ECE Support

KidsCan-Roscommon-ECE-Boy-Eating-Plate

Why food?

Food insecurity is a major factor in overall material hardship, with the number of children affected now the highest in a decade.

Schools and early childhood centres say a lack of nutritious food is the biggest barrier to learning. It affects children’s ability to learn, grow, and participate, impacting long-term outcomes. That’s why we provide regular, nutritious food – so children's can focus, play and thrive alongside their peers.

What we provide in schools

We offer a range of food which schools order from us once a term. For breakfast, we provide bread, spreads, baked beans, yoghurt and tinned fruit. For snacks, we provide muesli bars, fruit pottles and scroggin. Schools who do not qualify for the government’s Ka Ora, Ka Ako lunch programme can order heat-and-eat lunches like spaghetti bolognese, butter chicken and rice, and a range of soups.

Schools then distribute the food to reach the children who need it.

Many run breakfast and lunch clubs, kai baskets in classrooms or discreetly pop lunches into lockers or bags.

KidsCan-Food-Ruby-Tui

When you've got food in your tummy, you're feeding the brain. I just feel that if you come with a good full tummy, a good attitude, you can pursue anything in school. Everything is achievable.

Shalene Hudson, Social Worker

KidsCan-Roscommon-ECE-Kids-Group-Bowl-Eat

What we provide in early childhood centres

In 2019, we expanded our food programme to early childhood centres, reaching under 5s in their formative years when the brain is developing fastest.

We provide lunches, fruit and yoghurt to all children attending the centre daily. Centres choose from a range of Heart Foundation-supported recipes that children love, including chicken stir-fry, veggie curry, and lasagne. Eating the same food together means preschoolers are more likely to try new foods alongside their friends.

We also have a separate food programme which is funded by the New Zealand Government for up to 10,000 preschoolers. The KidsCan ECE Food for Kids Programme is a free food programme offered to 2 to 5-year-olds attending eligible early childhood education (ECE) centres around Aotearoa.

Learn more about what we provide

Our Programmes
We deliver our school and early childhood programmes right across the country, focusing on food, clothing, and health.
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Clothing
Jackets and shoes do more than keep children warm, dry, and comfortable – they bring equity, dignity, and hope.
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Health
We provide headlice treatment and combs to schools and early childhood education centres across New Zealand.
Learn more