Than a Good Breakfast 15 Years of Foodbank WA’S School Breakfast Program
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Heading More Than a Good Breakfast 15 Years of Foodbank WA’s School Breakfast Program SCHOOL BREAKFAST 15 PROGRAM YEARS Foreword It is often a shock for people to learn that Foodbank WA runs a program of the size and scale of the School Breakfast Program and that so many children in WA are going to school hungry. Growing from 17 schools in 2001 to more than 430 schools in 2015, the program supports 18,000 students per week and has become the largest operation of its kind in Australia. The common catalyst for schools enrolling in the School Breakfast Program remains the same today as it did 15 years ago: identifying a core Acknowledgements of students arriving at school having had little or no breakfast. While the reasons for this vary greatly, low income, poverty, remoteness and lack of Foodbank WA would like to extend our thanks to those involved in producing this access to nutritious food make children and families vulnerable to special 15th anniversary publication for the School Breakfast Program. food insecurity. While soothing a rumbling tummy is the most immediate benefit of the Schools Program, the impact on students, teachers and the community is far Bev Haigh (SBP Coordinator) – Aranmore Catholic College more profound than could initially be imagined. Foodbank WA’s School Wendy Whitfield & Carly Wood (SBP Coordinators) – Bluff Point Primary School Breakfast Program is improving the food security and nutrition of children Elizabeth Parsons (SBP Coordinator) – Corridors College living in disadvantage and providing them an equal opportunity to excel Robin Downes (SBP Coordinator) – Karratha Senior High School academically, emotionally and socially. Naomi Bailye (Deputy Principal) – Nulsen Primary School Something as simple as a wholesome breakfast shared with friends helps Peta Morgan (Deputy Principal) – Wilson Park Primary School Contents students feel a sense of belonging and encourages them to arrive, stay, Barbara Jeremic (Deputy Principal) – Mount Lockyer Primary School engage and excel in the classroom and build better relationships. Tackling Hunger 2 Joy Tucker (SBP Coordinator) – Kulkarriya Community School Dotti Freebairn (SBP Coordinator) – Merredin College This publication has been produced with a number of member schools Making an Impact 6 Beverley Mattin (SBP Coordinator) – Riverside Education Support Centre across the state including schools who have been delivering the Program Aranmore Catholic College 8 Tania Leete (Principal) – Midvale Primary School for as little as two years, to foundation schools who have been involved Karratha Senior High School 10 for more than 10 years. Their stories demonstrate the unique nature and Production diverse results of Foodbank WA’s School Breakfast Program. Above all Corridors College 11 Lee-Anne Ashley, Marketing & Fundraising Manager, Foodbank WA they show that our schools – their teachers, parents and volunteers – are Bluff Point Primary School 12 committed to providing more than a good education; they are committed Miranda Chester, School Breakfast Program Coordinator, Foodbank WA Mount Lockyer Primary School 13 Hazel Leong, Health Program Officer, Foodbank WA to the whole child ensuring they feel safe, nurtured and given the best possible chance to develop and thrive. Kulkarriya Community School 14 Graphic Design – Kore Design Foodbank WA is proud to continue to deliver this program with the Midavale Primary School 16 Print - Daniels Printing Craftsmen support of our key funders: the WA Departments of Education and Wilson Park Primary School 17 Health, Royalties for Regions, BHP Billiton and the Channel 7 Telethon Riverside Education Support Centre 18 Photos pages 2 & 9 provided Courtesy of West Australian Newspapers Ltd Trust. Merredin College 19 Nulsen Primary School 20 Bridging the Distance 21 Healthy Food for All 22 Foodbank WA School Breakfast Program Proudly Supported By Long Service Recognition 23 About Foodbank WA 24 1 More than 18,000 students Tackling Hunger in Our Classrooms are currently being supported through the Program, which is now serving an amazing 58,400 breakfasts every week! In early 2001, Cloverdale School Breakfast Program Growth - 2001 to present Program Operations Primary School surveyed Metro students and found that 17% Over the years, Foodbank WA has Regional developed the Program, including were coming to school without the types of products available, to having had breakfast and, of make it as sustainable and flexible these students, some had not as possible. Schools are supplied had sufficient dinner the night with a ‘School Breakfast Program before. Toolkit’ that explains everything from getting started, ordering, food safety, The school decided to trial a breakfast Number of Schools program and approached Foodbank nutrition, recipes and other resources WA to see if we could help with a to help School Breakfast Program donation of breakfast foods. Coordinators run a successful club within their school. At that time a number of other schools had also approached Calendar Year 2001 - 2015 There is no prescribed or ‘best Foodbank WA seeking food support practice’ method for running was the evidence Foodbank WA The Program was originally open to for a growing number of students a Breakfast Club. Schools are needed to seek the funds to officially schools with a low socioeconomic attending school without having eaten encouraged to create a model that launch a School Breakfast Program. indicator, but today, the Program breakfast or eating a nutritionally suits their need, facilities, resources is available to any school where a poor breakfast. Teachers would report, By the end of 2001, 17 schools had and students. Some schools run daily demonstrated need exists. as they do today, that students registered and were running ‘breakfast programs open to all, others run once missing out on a good breakfast clubs’ in their schools with food Foodbank WA’s School Breakfast or twice a week and some make food were more often sick, late or absent provided by Foodbank. The majority Program has grown steadily over the available quietly as the need arises. when compared to others in their were within the metropolitan area, past 15 years, reaching more than Foodbank WA also supports the class and were unable to concentrate, with five in regional locations. 100 schools within the first four years School Breakfast Program with significantly affecting their ability to and climbing to a record 432 schools The primary goal of Foodbank a term-based ‘Morning Toast’ learn. in 2014. Twelve of the foundation WA’s School Breakfast Program is newsletter that is emailed to all schools from 2001/2002 are still The trial with Cloverdale Primary to increase the food security for participating schools. This includes operating their breakfast clubs today. School was a great success. Results children living in disadvantage and added recipes, tips and stories from from this trial, along with the growing to improve their health through Today, the School Breakfast Program member schools. In 2014 we also list of schools seeking breakfast foods, improved nutrition. operates across the more than 2.5 launched SBP Connect, an annual million square kilometre expanse event allowing School Breakfast of Western Australia. With 179 Program Coordinators the opportunity metropolitan and 252 regional to network and share ideas and for schools (as at October 2015), the Foodbank WA to provide additional Program stretches from Kalumburu support including guest speakers and and Kununurra in the north, to Albany cooking workshops. and Esperance in the south, to the The core of the food supply is based Western & Tanami Deserts in the east on seven non-perishable products and everywhere in between! available to registered schools. These are shelf stable products that can be freighted anywhere without the Cloverdale Primary School - a foundation need for chilled transport and stored school whose success with the program without refrigeration, which can be an has endured over 15 years. issue in remote communities. © WEST AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPERS LTD 2 15 YEARS - SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM 3 These include: canned fruit in natural Funding for the provision of ‘extra’ School Breakfast Harvey Fresh – juice, wheat biscuits, oats, vegemite, products and the rising costs of Breakfast Clubs Boosting Vit C in canned spaghetti, canned baked beans transport are key priority areas Program by the Remote Schools and UHT milk. Regional and remote for Foodbank WA to ensure the numbers 2015 schools without access to a Foodbank program continues to meet the by Region While providing access to fresh fruit WA branch are also able to access needs of schools and the students and vegetables is a major focus 100% unsweetened UHT orange juice they support. Our goal for the School of the School Breakfast Program, donated by Harvey Fresh. Breakfast Program has always been to increase the food security for children the supply of these products Schools across the metropolitan area living in disadvantage, improve the to some regional and remote and those located within a reasonable equity in access of nutritionally schools is virtually impossible. In driving distance of Foodbank WA’s valuable foods to regional and remote 2011 Foodbank WA commenced five regional branches in Peel, communities and ensure that no child a partnership with Harvey Fresh Bunbury, Albany, Kalgoorlie-Boulder 18,091 in WA starts their school day hungry. 431 to supply remote schools with and Geraldton are required to collect STUDENTS DIRECTLY We are proud of our record and SCHOOLS 100% unsweetened UHT orange their orders from Foodbank. This achievements to date, but know there IMPACTED PER WEEK 179 Metro/252 Regional juice, as a shelf-stable alternative also gives them access to additional is much more to do to tackle the issue to fresh fruit and vegetables. ‘perishable’ products including fresh of hunger in our classrooms. Harvey Fresh’s 100% unsweetened bread, fresh fruit and vegetables and UHT orange juice has become an yoghurt and the ability to purchase essential and popular product now other low cost food staples.