Support for farming families
Hermidale students enjoying UP&GO with Kristy Burke from Aussie Helpers.
In rural Australia, children from farming families are arriving at school hungry, as financial pressures continue to mount on parents working long hours to support the nation’s food supply.
To tackle this issue, Sanitarium teamed up with Aussie Helpers in June 2023 to launch “Brekkie in a Bag”. This initiative provides nutritious breakfasts to more than 300 children attending rural schools across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
Together with local schools, Aussie Helpers has delivered 72 cases of Sanitarium Weet-Bix, 458 cases of So Good milk and 908 cases of UP&GO liquid breakfast to nine schools across rural Queensland and New South Wales over four school terms.
This equates to 27,396 liquid breakfast serves, nearly 22,000 serves of So Good milk and more than 62,000 individual Weet-Bix biscuits.
According to Sanitarium, 86 per cent of participating schools cited cost of living pressures as a local issue. Three schools reported improved student concentration, and two noted higher energy levels as a result of the initiative.
“’Brekkie in a Bag’ goes beyond just filling hungry bellies; it’s about giving kids the fuel they need to focus, learn and succeed,” Sanitarium’s community care manager Amanda Ekman said.
“Sanitarium has been pleased to be able to offer support for this project which is making sure kids have a nutritious breakfast and a healthy start to their day.”
Hermidale Public School in western NSW has been part of the program since day one.
“The breakfast gives me lots of energy and helps me learn and concentrate in class,” Year six student Abbie explained.
“It makes my day better knowing our kids are starting their day with a healthy breakfast,” Abbie’s mum Karen added.
An Aussie Helpers representative said “Brekkie in a Bag” goes beyond simply providing meals.
“It offers practical support delivered with empathy and respect, ensuring the dignity and privacy of struggling farming families in their close-knit communities,” the representative said.
Aussie Helpers is a not-for-profit organisation that provides financial assistance, educational support, food relief, mental health services and other services to farmers and their families undergoing hardship.
Sanitarium was established as part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia to promote and produce health foods based on its belief that whole foods and primarily plant-based diets support optimal health.