Fuelling Kiwi kids with the goodness of Anchor™ milk and Sanitarium Weet-Bix™
The KickStart Breakfast Programme is a joint initiative between two of our suppliers Fonterra and Sanitarium along with the Ministry of Social Development.
The programme currently provides free breakfast to 40,000 tamariki and rangatahi every school day in almost 1,400 schools across New Zealand. Fonterra and Sanitarium provide and deliver a free school breakfast of Anchor™ milk and Sanitarium Weet-Bix™.
One study on Household food insecurity among children from the Ministry of Health released in 2019 revealed that almost one in five children lived in food-insecure households. Living with food insecurity means that you’re unable to consistently access or afford adequate food.
According to studies across the globe, the consumption of breakfast in children has been found to help with cognitive function, especially with memory and attention. The KickStart Breakfast Programme is designed to positively impact children’s well-being through providing access to nutritious food at school. It’s all about helping tamariki and rangatahi start the day right. Check out what volunteers and students from St Joseph’s School in Hastings have to say abou KickStart Breakfast Club:
Great outcomes
We have noticed several things as a result of students attending KickStart Breakfasts:
Friendships are created and they develop across the year groups. Seniors and Juniors and indeed the adults learning each other’s names and growing a positive rapport.
Tuakana-Teina relationships - Senior students stepping in and guiding and helping the juniors if they are new to the club, or if they spill drinks or food.
Some individuals are more settled in their learning and they are more biddable in the morning.
Seeing students feeling satisfied with kai in their puku.
Volunteers-many students offer to help with setting up the furniture before and packing it away afterwards. Some students like to eat their breakfast then help serve others. Still others volunteer their help with the dishes and packing away the utensils.
Students have developed routines with the adults running the club, with how they enter, eat and leave the venue.
The hall venue and the sound system in the hall allows Mr Hunt to play music including dance music for the students to listen to and dance to, if they choose. Sometimes it has a festive atmosphere.
What the students have to say
Students attend the KickStart Breakfast Club for a variety of reasons aside from the provision of food. Here’s what some of their Breakfast Club attendees have to say:
I love how you give us food so we can have energy for the day. I can talk with my friends and make new friends. If we’re hungry we can come to breakfast club so we don’t think about eating while we’re studying. – Jonathan
I go to Breakfast Club because of the warmth in there. I like to dry the dishes and mop the floor when it is dirty. I also go to Breakfast Club to see new people and meet my friends. – Atasha
What I love about Breakfast Club is you can just go have a chat with your friends and if you’re feeling cold you go to Breakfast Club and get warm and fuel up ready to start the day. I want to thank you KickStart. – Jasman
Source: kickstartbreakfast.co.nz