Community group Eat My Lunch is looking to provide free lunches to low decile schools around the country. It follows the success of its initiative in Auckland and Hamilton where they have been providing free lunch to 32 schools over the last 12 months.
Every morning volunteers team up to make 2000 lunches for children in low decile schools in Auckland and Hamilton.
Eat My Lunch founder Lisa King says, “Our big dream is to make sure that no child in New Zealand goes to school hungry. I think as a mum of young kids myself and living in this beautiful country you just think this shouldn't be happening.”
These volunteers are the life-force of this growing enterprise which was initially formed by Lisa King and a team of health professionals.
King says, “We have had 1200 volunteers come in and help make lunches every morning for the kids. People from all walks of life, doctors, lawyers, teachers, students. I think it's something that has actually pulled people together.”
Once the food is ready, volunteers are on the move, again.
I've got about five schools to deliver in the area,” says Eat My Lunch Volunteer Mark Dansey.
Wesley Intermediate Principal Nigel Davis says, “I guess in some ways we have taken on board that it's a healthy lunch we don't seem to be getting students coming to school regularly with the wrong sort of foods and it has sent a really really good message in the area.”
After celebrating their one year anniversary. Eat My Lunch has delivered over 325,000 lunches to 180,000 hungry kids in 32 schools.
“For anyone you can go online buy a lunch and subscribe to a service and you will have a fresh lunch delivered to you at work for $12 dollars. With that $12 dollars not only does it give you a healthy fresh lunch it also provides a lunch for a kid in one of the low decile schools, “says King.
With 29% of New Zealand kids living in poverty, King says they're now looking to roll the initiative out across the country.
“We get up at five every morning and that daily grind can get to you sometimes and when we get these beautiful letters from the kids it makes it all worthwhile and just reminds you why we're doing this.”
And while the business continues to grow there's also an opportunity for New Zealanders to contribute by purchasing lunch.
