Revealed: Shocking stats show Qld school hunger crisis worsening
Queensland is leading Australia’s classroom hunger crisis, with a staggering 126 schools requiring food support.
Queensland schoolchildren are the hungriest in the country, with an alarming new report revealing a growing crisis in schools across the state.
Shock figures from Eat Up, a charity that provides free lunches to students across Australia to combat classroom hunger, show that demand has exploded over the past 12 months across regions including Brisbane, Caloundra and the Gold Coast.
This year Eat Up has delivered 45 per cent more lunches in those regions alone compared to last year and currently supports 99 schools in the areas, with a staggering 110 waitlisted for the charity’s services.
According to Eat Up, 58 per cent of Brisbane schools surveyed last year reported that the weekly amount of food each student needed from the organisation had increased compared to the year before.
Eat Up co-CEO Elise Cook said it was heartbreaking to know more than 100 schools were still waiting for support.
“We are striving to meet an increased level of need in the community,” Ms Cook said.
A new Eat Up delivery van set to start from term one next year will allow an additional 95 Queensland schools to be included.
“This additional delivery van will help to alleviate some of the pressure that families are facing,” Ms Cook said.
“With more help from businesses and workplace volunteers, we can reach more children and ensure that no Queensland student has to go through the school day hungry.”
The report also revealed that the majority of schools nationally in need of food were primary schools, accounting for two-thirds.
As of last year, Queensland had the largest number of schools that needed more lunch food with a total of 126, followed by Victoria (101) and NSW (85).
Government schools accounted for 95.9 per cent of all schools catered for.
Of the reasons provided for needing to access Eat Up’s services, a shocking 58 per cent reported that it was because families were experiencing hardship.
Other common reasons included that students were attending school with a non-nutritious lunch, they were not getting enough lunch, or had forgotten to bring their lunch.
Schools participating in the evaluation survey reported improved attendance and academic outcomes as well as reduced stress and anxiety about food in response to the help.
In November last year Eat Up marked four million sandwiches delivered since the charity began in 2013.
There were 912 schools across Australia accessing the program.
Originally published as Revealed: Shocking stats show Qld school hunger crisis worsening
