Private Members' Statement
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG (Macquarie Fields) (17:16): At one time or another we have all felt the gnawing pangs of hunger. Like an empty vessel, our stomachs moan and groan. Our bodies feel weak and depleted, and our minds wander aimlessly, thinking only of a meal—any meal—to sustain ourselves. The body is much like a car: feed it the right fuel and the right amount, and it will run at optimum. But when the tank is empty, we are destined to stall. Children in particular need sustenance for good overall health, for peak physical performance and for their minds to work at a premium. This is why Breakfast Club, the pilot program of Foodbank NSW and ACT, not only serves a healthy start to the day but also delivers so much more. I recently had the opportunity to see the breakfast club in action at Campbellfield Public School in Minto, and from the queues for breakfast I could tell that the initiative has been a roaring success.
Run by the school's student representative council and the parents and citizens association, the Foodbank Breakfast Club enables students at the school and their families to have a nutritious breakfast for free. On the menu is a variety of healthy breakfast options, including cereal, toast, fresh fruit and juice. The breakfast club operates every Tuesday to Friday during the school term, and I have it on good authority that many children are racing to get to school early in the morning to enjoy their breakfast. Breakfast club kicked off at Campbellfield Public School in term 4 of 2017, and the plan is for the program to be ongoing to give kids a healthy start to their day so they can learn at their best.
Foodbank NSW's Breakfast Club programs, such as at Campbellfield Public School, are meeting a huge need in our local area. The statistics speak for themselves. One in seven children go to school without the most important meal of the day. On average, a student loses more than two hours of learning time each day they go to school hungry. If a student were to arrive hungry at school once a week, that student would lose the equivalent of more than a term over the course of a year. Teachers at Campbellfield Public School report that since the breakfast club started, students are more attentive and willing to learn. Students are also more engaged in their learning and are more connected with their peers, teachers and families. Importantly, by starting the day with a nutritious breakfast, students are less likely to fill up on sugary drinks or food with poorer nutritional value.
Although all the food is supplied by Foodbank, the breakfast club relies on the goodwill of parents and the broader community. Bread is donated by the parents and citizens association, and families contribute by donating items such as plates, cutlery and serviettes. I commend the work of all involved in the breakfast club at Campbellfield Public School, including Principal Nicole Wade, the parents and citizens association and, of course, the Executive General Manager of Foodbank NSW and ACT—and my former colleague—John Robertson.
Another wonderful outcome of the breakfast club is the skills gained by student leaders, who assist with the preparation and serving of breakfast to their peers, family members and teachers. The experience helps students gain confidence, develop a sense of community and learn important life skills. I am pleased to report that since my visit to Campbellfield Public School, the students and the broader school community have named the breakfast club the Shine Cafe. This fitting name highlights the positive impact that the breakfast club has had for all of those involved and the community spirit it has evoked among so many.
I acknowledge the wonderful and committed volunteers of the Campbellfield Public School parents and citizens association and in particular Sam Hyratt, whose drive and dedication has been an inspiration. I make special mention of Foodbank NSW and ACT for its commitment to giving children across the State a healthy start to the day so they can learn and be at their best. It is no small feat that Foodbank delivers more than 200,000 school breakfasts a week, meaning that more than 100,000 students do not miss out on the most important meal of the day. These are incredible statistics. Breakfast club is certainly a win‑win for all. One image that will stay with me for a long time is the many smiling faces at the Campbellfield Public School Breakfast Club—The Shine Cafe. Shine on they will, with the breakfast club giving them the best possible start to their day and a positive start to their future. I commend everybody who has been involved in this program and I look forward to seeing it continue, not only in this school but in other schools in my electorate and across the State.
