In rural Australia, children from farming families are arriving at school hungry, as financial pressures continue to mount on parents working long hours to support the nation’s food supply.
To tackle this issue, Sanitarium teamed up with Aussie Helpers in June 2023 to launch “Brekkie in a Bag.” This initiative provides nutritious breakfasts to more than 300 children attending rural schools across New South Wales (NSW), Queensland, and Victoria.
Together with local schools, Aussie Helpers has delivered 72 cases of Sanitarium Weet-Bix, 458 cases of So Good milk, and 908 cases of UP&GO liquid breakfast to nine schools across rural Queensland and NSW over four school terms.
This equates to 27,396 liquid breakfast serves, nearly 22,000 serves of So Good milk, and more than 62,000 individual Weet-Bix biscuits.
According to Sanitarium, 86% of participating schools cited cost of living pressures as a local issue. Three schools reported improved student concentration, and two noted higher energy levels as a result of the initiative.
“‘Brekkie in a Bag’ goes beyond just filling hungry bellies; it’s about giving kids the fuel they need to focus, learn, and succeed,” Sanitarium’s community care manager Amanda Ekman said. “Sanitarium has been pleased to be able to offer support for this project which is making sure kids have a nutritious breakfast and a healthy start to their day.”
Hermidale Public School in western NSW has been part of the program since day one.
“The breakfast gives me lots of energy and helps me learn and concentrate in class,” Year six student Abbie explained.
“It makes my day better knowing our kids are starting their day with a healthy breakfast,” Abbie’s mum, Karen, added.
An Aussie Helpers representative said, “Brekkie in a Bag” goes beyond simply providing meals.
“It offers practical support delivered with empathy and respect, ensuring the dignity and privacy of struggling farming families in their close-knit communities,” the representative said.
Aussie Helpers is a not-for-profit organization that provides financial assistance, educational support, food relief, mental health services, and other services to farmers and their families undergoing hardship.
About Sanitarium Health Food Company
Sanitarium, owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, was the first company to introduce healthy breakfast foods to Australians. The company promoted plant-based eating long before it was trendy. It’s often said that Sanitarium changed Australia’s eating habits.
Weet-Bix is one of Australia’s most iconic brands and the top-selling and most trusted breakfast cereal in the country. Newer varieties include Gluten-Free Weet-Bix, Weet-Bix Bites, Weet-Bix Blends, and Weet-Bix GO. Most recently, Sanitarium launched Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering. “For more than 80 years, Weet-Bix has ensured Australian families have a nutritious start to their day, every day,” company leaders said.
The original version of this story was posted on Adventist Record.