KickStart Breakfast kicks up a notch

Social Development Minister, Paula Bennett, announced that the KickStart Breakfast programme has served more than 1.5 million breakfasts since government support expanded the programme last May.

Prime Minister John Key joined Mrs Bennett in celebrating the milestone at Henderson School this morning (Friday 4 April), with corporate partners Fonterra and Sanitarium.

“Thousands of children are getting a healthy start in the mornings thanks to the programme which is growing across schools throughout the country each week. 

“It’s still parents who have the primary responsibility to feed their children.  However the government recognises that investing in breakfasts for hungry children is an investment in their learning and health,” says Mrs Bennett.

Initially available to decile one to four schools when it was set up 5 years ago by Fonterra and Sanitarium with local communities, the programme expanded with government support last year to include all primary and secondary schools, regardless of decile, that want and need it.

More than 25,000 children are now taking part in KickStart each week with 732 schools signed up for term 2 - an increase of more than 100 new schools since the beginning of the year.

“KickStart Breakfast enables New Zealand children in need to learn and this helps them achieve their potential. It is a great example of how the community, the private sector and the government can work together to create a positive change in the lives of those who need it,” Mrs Bennett said.

“Providing breakfast alone isn’t a solution to poverty, but KickStart Breakfast fits into a range of programmes initiated by this Government, across the social sector, that are targeted to help vulnerable and low income families,” Mrs Bennett said.