What we do
We provide food, clothing and health products to Kiwi kids at 947 schools and more than 200 early childhood centres right across the country. This support is largely funded by donations from the public and our corporate partners. We also support a further 300 early childhood centres with our food programme. This programme is funded by the Government.
Our programmes are constantly evolving - we survey schools and ECE centres regularly and adjust what we provide based on what the students love.
School support
KidsCan's products are available for schools to use in whatever way works best for their students. Many schools run breakfast and lunch clubs which are open to all students to reduce stigma. Others have toasters and snack baskets in classrooms. We offer a warm jacket for every student – many schools make this part of their uniform.
By supporting all students, we help create a more inclusive and equitable school environment where no child is singled out. This support fosters a strong sense of belonging and wellbeing.
Most schools order shoes, socks and health products as needed, so they can offer these discreetly.
Early childhood support
The right nutrition, a stimulating environment, and opportunities to play – all of these are key to healthy brain development during those all-important early years. KidsCan’s early childhood education (ECE) programme aims to ensure children living in hardship can not only attend pre-school but thrive there.
We support low-equity centres by providing free food, clothing and health products. We feed every child with a daily healthy lunch from recipes children love, including spaghetti bolognese and chicken stir-fry, complemented with fruit and yoghurt. Every child also receives a warm jacket, shoes and socks, dinosaur gumboots, headlice treatment and a comb.
Waikato University research found the programme is making a ‘valuable difference’ to children’s wellbeing. Good nutrition and warm clothing mean children are more engaged in learning, with increased energy and attention spans.
We also have a separate food programme which is funded by the New Zealand Government for up to 10,000 preschoolers. The KidsCan ECE Food for Kids Programme is a free food programme offered to 2 to 5-year-olds attending eligible early childhood education (ECE) centres around Aotearoa.
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