Last week, Tuesday 7 February, marked the first delivery of 2023 to one of the only free school meal programs currently operating in the ACT.

This is in spite of 12 per cent of children in Canberra living in low-income households.

Mohammed Ali of Helping ACT began delivering free breakfast supplies to Mount Stromlo High School in September last year.

“Now we are spreading the word. We can easily accommodate two to three more schools,” he said.

He urges schools that feel they may have any number of students who would benefit from food assistance to contact Helping ACT.

The bounty of muesli bars, cereal, Up & Go’s, and more, comes from the Helping ACT pantry, which is stocked by community donations.

Mohammed and his helpers quietly deliver the goods at the start of the week, so that the children can access it themselves every Wednesday, limiting the shyness he says food assistance can inspire.

“We wanted a dignified way to provide breakfast. We don’t want any parents to be looked down upon [either].”

On average, 30 students attend each week, with as many as 45 students attending ‘breakfast club’ last year.

There is no set criteria for schools that Helping ACT will support in the future.

“We need our youngsters, our children, to thrive and have nutritious food. As Canberrans, we can definitely afford it,” says Mohammed.

“No one should go to sleep or school hungry in Canberra.”

He explains that families who require food assistance apply through the Helping ACT website and fill out a form indicating which items they are most in need of. 

“Written in almost every request was ‘school snacks’. That tells us that families are struggling to fill their kids’ lunch boxes.”

Mohammed worries that an “underclass” is forming in Canberra due to the rising cost of living.

“It is becoming more and more difficult for families to make ends meet, and this is Canberra-wide.

“We have identified that one in 10 people in Canberra need food assistance.”

Mohammed insists that it is just as important to address the “flip side” to that statistic.

“That means nine out of 10 people in Canberra can easily serve that one person. That is not a level of optimism that we are unable to meet.

“The effects of these programs are long-term … We are nourishing our future.”

The ACT government announced in September 2020 that they would trial a free breakfast and lunch program, three days a week, at five public schools. Despite this announcement being made almost two and a half years ago, the trial is yet to take effect.

When approached by CW for any updates or comment, an ACT Government spokesperson said, “The Education Directorate is working with school principals to identify five public schools to participate in a staged rollout of the Meals in Schools pilot during 2023.”

In the meantime, visit helpingact.org/help to apply for food assistance.

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