Daily Charitable Trust Adapts School Lunch Programme After Government Changes

The Daily Charitable Trust is adjusting its approach to providing school lunches in Te Puke following changes to the government's school lunch funding scheme. Since 2020, the trust has been delivering free meals to Te Puke schools, providing 2000 meals daily to eight schools under the government's Ka Ora, Ka Ako Healthy School Lunches programme. Additionally, the trust was providing 200 meals daily to four ineligible schools with support from sponsors like Zespri and the community.

This year's changes came after the School Lunch Collective was awarded a government contract under Associate Education Minister David Seymour's cost-saving reforms. Trust representative Chrissi Robinson stated that the trust continues to send free food to schools and is offering $5 meals delivered in reusable lunchboxes, which is cheaper than parents preparing meals at home thanks to sponsorship.

Robinson reported significant community concern about the changes. Parents at government-funded schools have requested that the $5 meals be delivered to their children, noting that their kids have stopped eating the new funded meals. The trust is receiving numerous comments from parents expressing that the new scheme is not equivalent to what was previously offered, despite promises that it would be.

Originally published in Te Puke News by Sun Media.