1 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:08,720 Speaker 1: Kyota. I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page, 2 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: a daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald. As 3 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 1: children across New Zealand head back to school, many will 4 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:22,279 Speaker 1: be arriving without the basics. 5 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:24,800 Speaker 2: Fifty eight schools. 6 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 1: Are starting twenty twenty six on the waitlist for Kids Can. 7 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,959 Speaker 1: The charity provides essentials for Kiwi kids living in poverty. 8 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:37,199 Speaker 1: A survey of weightlisted schools shows more than half provide 9 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 1: breakfast for their students, often diverting funds from their own 10 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: operational budgets. So why in twenty twenty six are kids 11 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: still going to school hungry? Today? On the Front Page, 12 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: Kids Can CEO Dame Julie Chapman is with us to 13 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: offer a glimpse into the lives of far too many 14 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 1: children in this country who are going without. First off, Julie, 15 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:08,800 Speaker 1: there are about one hundred and fifty seven thousand New 16 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: Zealand children living in material hardship. Now, just to recap 17 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: for us, what is material hardship? 18 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:21,319 Speaker 2: Yeah, so yeah, it sounds like this sort of I guess, 19 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,479 Speaker 2: great sort of mystery of you know what actually. 20 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 3: Does that mean? 21 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 2: What it means is there are a list of around 22 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 2: seventeen things that children and their families really need to 23 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 2: be able to thrive, not just survive. And if you 24 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 2: are a child living in a family where seven or 25 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 2: more of those things are missing, you're deemed to be 26 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 2: in what's called material hardship, which in reality means that 27 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 2: life is super tough for you. It's hard for you 28 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 2: to take advantage of your education. It's hard for you 29 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 2: to just be normal kid going to school and getting 30 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 2: involved in learning and participating just like any other kid would. 31 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 3: So for us kids. 32 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:15,239 Speaker 2: Can we focus in three specific areas of material hardship, 33 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 2: one of them being food and security, which is a 34 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 2: massive issue in schools, participation through the provision of shoes 35 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 2: and clothing so that kids can get to school, but 36 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 2: when they're there they can participate in activities just like 37 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 2: any other child. And then also some health related items 38 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 2: as well, in particular headlice treatment, which is very expensive 39 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 2: and is prohibitive for a lot of families to be 40 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 2: able to afford, and impacts schooling if kids are not 41 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 2: there because of that, or they're not able to concentrate 42 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,959 Speaker 2: because of those nasty, itchy kotos in their hair. 43 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: How many schools does kids can actually help out the moment. 44 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 2: So we support children in nine hundred and forty nine 45 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 2: schools across New Zealand, so in all parts of New 46 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 2: Zealand and as adenom to that, we also support children 47 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 2: in early childhood centers, so five hundred and eight of those. 48 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 2: Our key focus at this time of the year is 49 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:27,360 Speaker 2: making sure that our schools, our nine hundred and forty 50 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 2: nine schools have everything that they need in term one 51 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 2: to support kids as they come back to school. But 52 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 2: of course, talking to you today about the fifty eight 53 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 2: schools that we have waited right now. 54 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: Wow, and what makes a school get off the waiting 55 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: list so to speak. 56 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 2: Essentially it comes down to funding. We have launched this 57 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 2: appeal for back to School with the goal of being 58 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 2: able to get all of those fifty eight schools off 59 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 2: our waiting list and support to those kids as soon 60 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 2: as possible. And I think the one thing that is 61 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 2: important for people to know is that when kids can 62 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 2: make some commitment to a school, we're in it for 63 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 2: the long haul. And so you know, we want to 64 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 2: be able to raise enough funds to be able to 65 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 2: bring their schools into the program and ensure that that 66 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 2: support is sustainable for children, because the worst thing I 67 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 2: think anyone could do is to offer support then have 68 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:33,600 Speaker 2: to take it away, especially in the food side of things, 69 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 2: which as we know for so many households, is a 70 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 2: real challenge right now. 71 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:40,719 Speaker 1: And in terms of those schools on the wait list, 72 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,479 Speaker 1: I understand that you guys have surveyed them and what 73 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 1: are some of the worst situations anecdotally you've heard of. 74 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 2: Well, we know, I think fifty two of those fifty 75 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 2: eight schools responded. I think one hundred percent of them 76 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:01,719 Speaker 2: actually said that they have kids arriving at school without 77 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 2: enough food or without any food. And we know that 78 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:08,479 Speaker 2: because that's a consistent theme that kind of runs through 79 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:11,480 Speaker 2: all of our work. Food is one of the biggest 80 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 2: things that is needed. I think you know over sixty 81 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 2: five percent of them are running breakfast clubs. And we 82 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:23,279 Speaker 2: also know that for a lot of them, they're having 83 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,839 Speaker 2: to dip into their own school budgets, which are for 84 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 2: teaching resources traditionally, to actually provide this support for their children. 85 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 2: Because if you're a child and you're coming and you're hungry, 86 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 2: you're cold, you're wet, you can't switch your brain on 87 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:46,599 Speaker 2: to learn, and so that money should buy rights be 88 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:52,040 Speaker 2: going into those resources, those teaching resources. Hence we're able 89 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,279 Speaker 2: to get on board to support those other areas to 90 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,040 Speaker 2: make that difference so that schools don't have to put 91 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 2: that funding into that and then kids have what they need. 92 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,840 Speaker 1: And it's not uncommon to hear about teachers actually, you know, 93 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 1: getting into their own pockets as well and helping out. 94 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think we know from talking to schools that 95 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,799 Speaker 2: some teachers are reporting that they're bringing food from home 96 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:24,160 Speaker 2: to help kids that they know suffering from food insecurity. 97 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 2: So I think it's yeah, it's it's a situation that's 98 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 2: I guess schools are doing the best that they can 99 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 2: in a sort of ad hoc way with the resources 100 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 2: they've got, and if we're able to raise enough funding 101 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 2: to get the kids Can program in there, then all 102 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 2: of that is taking care of in a really consistent, 103 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:52,480 Speaker 2: meaningful way so that the teachers can just get on 104 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 2: with teaching and kids can can get on with learning 105 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 2: and not have to worry about you know that that hunger, 106 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 2: or being worn, or being able to concentrate. 107 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 4: If it hasn't taken feeding children, melted plastic, failing to 108 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 4: deliver lunches at all, serving up the same food thirteen 109 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 4: days in a row, or serving pork to halal students. 110 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 4: What will it take for him to finally step in 111 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 4: and sort out the mess that his government has made 112 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 4: of the school lunch's program. Yes, some of the food 113 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 4: is not up to scratch, but the minister is working 114 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 4: his way through the issues and I. 115 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 3: Have every confidence here will resolve it. 116 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 4: And I just say to parents that may be listening 117 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 4: to this, feel free to prepare a mumte sandwich and 118 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 4: an apple for lunch. 119 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 1: In terms of food and security with school children, has 120 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: the government's school lunch program, for instance, made any kind 121 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 1: of dent. 122 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 2: Look, I think it absolutely has for sure. But one 123 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 2: thing that I've always said in particular about food in security, 124 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 2: especially as the cost of living has increased over the 125 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 2: past few years, we haven't seen a letter in the 126 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 2: need for food. When the government lunch program came in, 127 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 2: we actually did think that it kids can it would 128 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 2: mean that there would be less need for the food 129 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:23,679 Speaker 2: we provide and we could potentially divert those resources into 130 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 2: other areas. That hasn't, unfortunately been the case, and that 131 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 2: is down to the rising cost of food. It's down 132 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 2: to the fact that children need food at other times 133 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 2: of the day, which is where we focus a lot 134 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 2: of our efforts in schools that already have the government 135 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 2: lunch program. But then of course there are a number 136 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 2: of schools that we support that don't have access to 137 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:51,679 Speaker 2: that program either, and so we're putting even more resource 138 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 2: into those schools with hot meals and different food items 139 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 2: over and above what we would normally put into other schools. 140 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: Is that a failure on behalf of the government's program, 141 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:03,000 Speaker 1: do you think? 142 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 3: I don't think it's a failing. 143 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 2: I think that actually what it shows is that there's 144 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 2: no sort of one solution to food and security. I've 145 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 2: always advocated for government, business and organizations like ours actually 146 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 2: banding together to meet the needs of students in terms 147 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:29,320 Speaker 2: of learning. And of course, you know, the government program 148 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 2: that's a that's a massive program, and it's it's not 149 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 2: one that we, as a smaller organization, would. 150 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:36,320 Speaker 3: Be able to replicate. 151 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 2: So I think where we play, where our part is, 152 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 2: and where we play the biggest role is sort of 153 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 2: filling those gaps at other times of the day with 154 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 2: breakfast type foods, bread spreads, top up foods, and also 155 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 2: you know, sometimes our food is discreetly given to children 156 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 2: at the end of the day, where teachers know that 157 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 2: they're probably going home to nothing, So it's important that 158 00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 2: all areas of the day are covered, in my view, 159 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 2: for kids that need it. 160 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 1: I suppose it's just not a one size fits all 161 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:14,440 Speaker 1: approach either of these schools, though they'd be different each 162 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: every school you go to. 163 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 2: Hey, absolutely, and that's why, like we don't, I guess, 164 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 2: have a prescribed kind of formula that they have to follow. 165 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 2: Some schools have breakfast clubs, which are great. Some of 166 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:31,839 Speaker 2: them have food set up in classrooms. Some of them 167 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 2: do checks of school bags just to make sure they 168 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 2: are checking on kids that might need it, and they're 169 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 2: able to offer that support discreetly, and I think that's 170 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 2: the nice kind of community side of how schools operate. 171 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:49,840 Speaker 2: They know their kids the best, they know what works, 172 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 2: and they know what's gonna I guess calls the least 173 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 2: shame or embarrassment because. 174 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:57,559 Speaker 3: And I think that's important. 175 00:10:57,600 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 2: You know, families do feel embarrassed when they don't have 176 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 2: enough food for their children. And for us, our sole 177 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 2: reason for being is that we believe education equals opportunities. 178 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:09,959 Speaker 2: So getting the kids to school, making sure they've got 179 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 2: something in their tummies. 180 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:12,439 Speaker 3: That they're warm, dry. 181 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:16,080 Speaker 2: You know, if we can achieve that, they've got a 182 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 2: much much better chance of breaking that cycle of poverty 183 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 2: long term. 184 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 1: And the stigma around it as well, I feel is 185 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 1: really important to address because you know, the first thing 186 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 1: you hear about, you know, these kids going hungry to 187 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 1: school is what are the parents doing? They must be 188 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 1: spending that money on cigarettes, on drugs, on booths, yeah, 189 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,839 Speaker 1: or something something else. Hey, but that's nine times out 190 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:42,840 Speaker 1: of ten that's actually not the case, is it. 191 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 3: You're absolutely right, it isn't the case. 192 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 2: And so in the twenty one years i've been around, 193 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 2: right since starting Kids Can in two thousand and five, 194 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:56,960 Speaker 2: I haven't met a parent that doesn't want better for 195 00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 2: their kids than they had. You know, if we don't 196 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:05,840 Speaker 2: help kids now, then they're more likely to repeat that 197 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:09,960 Speaker 2: cycle of poverty. And look, my view is really strong 198 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 2: on non judgment because regardless of what their parents may 199 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:19,719 Speaker 2: or may not be doing. And let's face it, it's a lottery, right, 200 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:22,200 Speaker 2: Life is a lottery. You don't get to choose which 201 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 2: family you're born into. But for me, it's making sure 202 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 2: kids have what they need, regardless of where they come 203 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,560 Speaker 2: from so that they can just get to school and 204 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 2: have that opportunity no matter what's going on at home. 205 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 3: But what I would. 206 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:41,439 Speaker 2: Say is there's a lot of I guess, stigma and 207 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:47,080 Speaker 2: just false kind of narrative around. You know, families that 208 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 2: are doing it tough. You know, I know families who 209 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:51,320 Speaker 2: are working two or three jobs just to try and 210 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 2: keep the lights on and a roof over their heads. 211 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 2: And there's thousands of those families, so this is just 212 00:12:57,559 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 2: to happen out for their children. 213 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: It's so complex as well, like everything is not so 214 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 1: black and white, you know, the whole adage like don't 215 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 1: give a homeless man your money because he's going to 216 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 1: spend it on drugs or you know something similar like 217 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:11,559 Speaker 1: don't do. 218 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 3: This because x YZ. 219 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: It's like, no, there are so many shades of gray. 220 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: Everyone's in different situations. You mentioned, yeah, twenty one years, 221 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: kids can turns this year. You founded it in two 222 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:29,600 Speaker 1: thousand and five. Have things I suppose it's difficult because 223 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 1: every year would be different, right, But in terms of 224 00:13:32,559 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 1: your lens and you're helping more schools out now, do 225 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 1: you things think things have gotten better or worse? 226 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:42,360 Speaker 3: Definitely worse. 227 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:45,720 Speaker 2: You know when we started in two thousand and five, 228 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:51,079 Speaker 2: we had forty schools and we knew then from doing 229 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:55,320 Speaker 2: our surveys and things that roughly across like low des 230 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 2: Cell schools before they changed to the new equity index, 231 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 2: there was a round about fifty thousand kids a day 232 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 2: that we could kind of identify through our research and 233 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:10,079 Speaker 2: surveys that were going hungry. And back then I can 234 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:13,679 Speaker 2: remember talking to schools and on average it might have 235 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 2: been about ten percent of a school role that needed 236 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 2: that food support. That's jumped up, you know, that jumped 237 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 2: up in the past sort of six, seven, eight, nine 238 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 2: years to twenty five to thirty percent, and in some 239 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 2: schools it's much higher. And so I think that's why 240 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 2: you have seen things like the introduction of government lunch program. 241 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 2: You've seen other organizations getting in there with food support 242 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 2: as well. And I think what I would say about 243 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 2: kids can is we always wanted to take a sort 244 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 2: of more holistic approach and look at those key areas, 245 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 2: you know, participation, keeping warm, health, and food because we 246 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 2: think that's where we can make the biggest difference for 247 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:03,160 Speaker 2: a child and ensuring that they do just have that 248 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:05,960 Speaker 2: opportunity for a little bit of a little bit of 249 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 2: a hand up. And I tell you what, the kids 250 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:13,080 Speaker 2: that we get to support are just the most beautiful children. 251 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 2: And my favorite thing to do is actually go and 252 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 2: visit kids in some of our schools and then in 253 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 2: the early childhoods as well, which is super cute. 254 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, I bet well. We were just talking the other day, 255 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 1: actually my colleagues children. They're getting all their school stuff together, 256 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 1: you know, having a big day going out shopping, getting 257 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: all their bits and pieces and thinking about and we 258 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: were kind of thinking about that time as a primary 259 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: school kid. It kind of, you know, it kind of 260 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 1: dissipates when you get to high school. 261 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 3: It's not cool anymore. 262 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: But remember getting your ends in the matching case and 263 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 1: everything like that. And then you think about these kids 264 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 1: who would be happy to have an apple to take 265 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: to school with them, you know, and it's just such 266 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 1: It should be such an exciting time of a little 267 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: person's life and they don't get to have that. 268 00:15:58,320 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, And I mean, I'm like you. 269 00:15:59,880 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 2: I can remember choosing the the whatever you call it, 270 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 2: the covering for the books, and then watching Mum cover 271 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 2: my exit. 272 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: Yeah. I laminate things. Yeah, with the body, you have 273 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 1: to get all the bubbles out that that. 274 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 2: But you know, I think the reality for many children, 275 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 2: and we're talking young kids five, six, seven, eight, and 276 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 2: then right up into high school, they are worried about 277 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 2: things that kids shouldn't have to worry about, and that 278 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 2: causes a lot of anxiety. They know things are tough 279 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 2: at home, they know things are a struggle for mom 280 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 2: and dad, and I think as a nation, we've got 281 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:44,000 Speaker 2: to show that we actually care about them. I don't 282 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:46,040 Speaker 2: want five and six year olds to have to wonder 283 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 2: where their next meal. 284 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 3: Is coming from. I just think that's that's a. 285 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 2: Kind of stress that no child should have to go through. 286 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 2: And so we can't be in the home, you know, 287 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 2: but we can be in the school environment, and if 288 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 2: you know, to get these schools off our waiting list, 289 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:07,679 Speaker 2: we just need people to get in behind us to 290 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:08,359 Speaker 2: help us do that. 291 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for joining us, Julie. 292 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 3: Thank you. 293 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 1: That's it for this episode of The Front Page. You 294 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: can read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage 295 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 1: at enzidherld dot co dot enz The Front Page is 296 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 1: hosted and produced by me Chelsea Daniels. Caine Dickie is 297 00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:34,159 Speaker 1: our studio operator. Richard Martin our producer and editor and 298 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:38,159 Speaker 1: our executive producer is Jane Ye. Follow the front page 299 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:41,200 Speaker 1: on the iHeart app or wherever you get your podcasts, 300 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 1: and join us next time for another look beyond the headlines.