For many of us, having access to something for breakfast every day is not a problem.
We have the means to fix ourselves a bowl of cereal or a piece of toast, or to stop by our local coffee shop for a cup of joe and a muffin. No need to worry about the money it costs, because we can afford it.
But there are many in our community who don’t have the means with which to start their day properly. They wake up most days with little in the fridge and the cupboards are bare. And going out for a bite is even further from their minds.
This week, Kinnikinnick Elementary School (KES) principal Cathy McCubbin and School District No. 46 staff addressed this need in our community by opening the school’s breakfast program. Kids can now come to the school every school day for a proper sit down breakfast 40 minutes before classes start. This program is a bit different from the Breakfast for Kids program offered in schools on the Sunshine Coast. Although equally important and also in need of more funding, the Breakfast for Kids programs sees schools set out a selection of fruits, muffins or bagels that any student can pick up on their way to class.
The program at KES is unique in that, for $1.50, students can eat a full, nutritious breakfast. And no one is being turned away. Those who can’t afford it still have access to the food.
And the need appears to be great at KES. It was heartbreaking when McCubbin told us this week that parents are calling the school saying they are sorry to send their son or daughter to school without any food. That just isn’t right. No one should have to start their day hungry, least of all children.
In this pilot program, McCubbin plans to track things such as attendance and attitude to see if they improve and if learning improves among the students who take advantage of the program.
We are certain that it will. McCubbin has seen the impacts of a similar program she helped with when she was teaching “up north.”
Money for this KES program will come from the school district through the Breakfast for Kids program and other grants, but it might not be enough to sustain the program. This is where we all can step up to ensure that more money and donations come in to support this new program at KES and the Breakfast for Kids program Coast-wide.
No child should start the day hungry. Let’s all help feed this need.
