At Kai for Kids, we help families in need by providing nutritious food directly into schools and kindergartens for children who would otherwise go without.
We believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, learn, and reach their full potential. By providing nourishing food each day, we are helping remove one of the greatest barriers to learning — hunger.
Our mission is to eliminate the impact of hunger on a child’s ability to learn, participate, and fully engage in their education.
As a charity, we are front-footing the issue on our own doorstep by being part of the solution and bringing hope, dignity, and care to children and families in our community.
Our purpose is to ease the hidden burden and embarrassment that hunger can create for both parents and children. We provide food support to tamariki identified by schools as needing a helping hand and who are not currently receiving Government-funded food support.
What makes Kai for Kids different is that our food bags provide a full day of nutrition. Each bag includes:
• Morning tea
• Fruit break
• Lunch
• A little something for after school
Our lunch bags are designed with Kiwi kids in mind — a much-loved combination of a fresh meat and salad bread roll, fruit, yoghurt, and plenty of delicious home baking made with care.
To preserve dignity and respect, all food is delivered directly to schools by 10.30am and discreetly collected by students from the office on their way to class. This ensures tamariki are never singled out, removed from class, or isolated in any way.
Today, Kai for Kids partners with 16 schools and kindergartens across Mid Canterbury. Every week we provide approximately:
• 1,270 lunches
• 2,500 morning teas
• 60 trays of spaghetti buns
For many of the children we support, the question is not simply “What will I eat today?” but “Should I eat this now or save it for later?”
If we can remove that burden, then we can remove one more barrier standing between a child and their education.
Getting tamariki back through the school gates, engaged in learning, confident, nourished, and ready to thrive, is our number one priority.
Our impact extends far beyond the meals we provide.
Kai for Kids has created a powerful sense of community amongst our volunteers, who feel valued, connected, and empowered knowing they are making a real difference. The empathy, generosity, and kindness that flow through our kitchen every day are both humbling and inspiring.
Together, we are nourishing futures, strengthening our community, and ensuring no child has to learn on an empty stomach.