Last Wednesday, 5 March, Hone Harawira hosted a morning tea in Parliament to thank the 30+ member organisations of the Community Coalition for Food in Schools. Collectively they have run a very successful campaign to promote the need for food programmes in low decile schools and build support for MANA’s Feed the Kids Bill.

It has been so successful that a TV One poll showed that 70% of New Zealanders support the introduction of government-funded food programmes in low decile schools, and food in schools was the only policy issue to make the list of top 10 news stories in 2013.

“70% of New Zealanders heard and voted to support MANA’s Feed the Kids message” said MANA Leader and Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira, as the Government announces an expanded breakfast programme in association with Sanitarium, Fonterra and KidsCan. “That’s what got the Prime Minister to do something about supporting food-in-schools”.

“And for that, kids can also be thankful to the many organisations who have supported a comprehensive food-in-schools programme and backed MANA’s Feed the Kids bill over the past 9 months”.

Members of the Community Campaign for Food in Schools hope the government budget on 16 May will provide the investment needed to meet the needs of the thousands of children who go to school hungry.

 “With an estimated 80,000 children regularly arriving at school hungry, there is an urgent need to ensure that schools and communities have the resources to meet that need - and to work with families to address the underlying causes.  While community has a role to play in providing for these children, there is absolutely a role for government in ensuring that resources for food in schools are sustained until such time as child poverty is significantly reduced,” says Deborah Morris-Travers, manager of Every Child Counts.

Please read the Statement below which was made by John Key on 3 February 2007 announcing a Food in Schools programme - from his State of the Nation speech while in Opposition:

National Party Leader John Key has announced the first initiative in what will be a National Food in Schools programme. "National is committed to providing practical solutions to the problems which Helen Clark says don't exist," says Mr Key.

During his State of the Nation speech on Tuesday, Mr Key indicated National would seek to introduce a food in schools programme at our poorest schools in partnership with the business community. 

Feed the kids - it’s a simple idea that will have a positive impact for the most vulnerable children in the Waikato and nationally. This is the view of Poverty Action Waikato and Anglican Action regarding the popularly called ‘Feed the Kids’ Bill scheduled to make its way through parliament this year.

“The ‘Feed the Kids’ Bill will ensure that our most vulnerable children get the food that they need - what could be simpler and more important?” says Anna Cox, Researcher, Poverty Action Waikato.

QPEC is delighted to join the growing number of organisations supporting the “Feed the Kids” Bill.

QPEC notes that some 270,000 New Zealand children live in poverty with an estimated 80,000 going to school hungry each day. Last year the Expert Advisory Group on Solutions to Child Poverty recommended the implementation of a strategy to supply food in low decile schools.

The “Feed the Kids” Bill argues for the introduction of nutritious, fully state-funded breakfast and lunch programmes into all decile 1 and 2 schools in New Zealand.

QPEC encourages the government to embrace this initiative. There is no sound reason for the government to not allow the Bill to go to Select Committee for consideration by the public on how public funds should be spent on behalf of our children.

UNICEF NZ is in full support of the Education (Breakfast and Lunch in Schools) Amendment Bill progressing through its first reading in Parliament in early June to be considered by a Select Committee.

UNICEF NZ is concerned for the 270,000 children who are living in poverty in New Zealand and believes that making sure that the most needy have at least one substantial, nourishing meal each school day will help to mitigate some of the hardship.