KidsCan charity is facing a big challenge as it has a record waitlist of 10,000 children who need help with food and clothing in 260 schools and early childhood centers. Chief executive Julie Chapman noted this is the highest number in the charity’s 19-year history.
Chapman said the poverty line is changing, making it harder for kids who once did not need help. Many children now come to school without basic necessities, and KidsCan struggles to provide for them due to limited funding. To address this, they are launching an urgent appeal for support.
Schools are worried about their students’ living conditions, especially with winter approaching. One social worker reported seeing homes with up to 30 people living together or multiple tents in the yard. Many schools on the waitlist are in middle-income areas, and 56 do not qualify for the government’s lunch scheme called Ka Ora, Ka Ako.
KidsCan, supported by its partner Meridian Energy, is determined to help these children in urgent need. Chapman emphasized that children should not wait for support during such crucial times in their lives.
Associate education minister David Seymour acknowledged how rising living costs affect more people, including those who may not see themselves as vulnerable. He mentioned that the government is expanding the school lunch program to help 10,000 more kids in early childhood education in harder-hit areas.
Seymour also introduced improvements to the Healthy School Lunch program, which aims to ease inflation and interest rates, making it easier for families to support their children. He invited food manufacturers and distributors to join this program, which serves over 240,000 children.
The revamped Healthy School Lunches program, set to launch in term one of 2025, is an opportunity for businesses in the food industry to get involved. Interested companies can register on the Government Electronic Tender Service website starting August 12.
