HOW IT HELPS
Janeine Stibbe is a PE teacher and wellbeing leader at Caloundra State High School on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, where one in four of the almost 1300 students are coming to school without breakfast or lunch.
She said staff recognised how important it was for the students to have enough to eat.
“They know they are going to get more out of their kids in class,” Ms Stibbe said.
The school provides breakfast for any student who wants it on Fridays and she said making it available for everyone removed any potential awkwardness for r those who really needed the food.
Students also know that several support staff at the school, such as the nurse and the chaplain, have used their own money to create a supply of food such as muesli bars or cheese toasties for r those who need lunch.
“If they feel uncomfortable, they can access food from people who don’t ask them why or how,” she said.
The school has applied for a Feed Appeal grant to help buy food.
The Feed Appeal, which was founded by national food charity FareShare and News Corp Australia, has received almost 100 Rural Schools Grants applications in 2020.
If the One=One campaign were able to fund all of these, it would equal more than 150,000 meals being provided in these schools in the coming year.
While Caloundra State High School hopes to benefit from a grant, the students are also doing their best to raise money for the Feed Appeal.
The middle school student council is running a One=One free-dress day at the end of term with a goal of raising $250.
“They want to do it because they’re supporting kids their own age who are doing it tough — that’s what really hit home,” Ms Stibbe said.