Kickstart for Kids

History of Kickstart for Kids

KickStart for Kids founder Ian Steel, a builder by trade and father of three, spent many years mentoring young children experiencing hardship in schools. He observed many instances of poor behaviour and impaired learning ability that he didn’t see in his own primary school aged children, so he decided to investigate why these differences were occurring.

Through extensive research and discussion, he discovered that many of the issues he had encountered were directly caused by hunger. Thousands of children were being sent to school without being given breakfast or having any food to eat during the day. In speaking with the schools, teachers and principals told Ian that hunger was having a major impact on kids’ learning ability, self-esteem and overall health.

As a father himself, Ian knew he had to do something. One day in 2009, he told shopkeepers at the local shopping centre stories of the children he wanted to help, then went to work. The next day, the shopkeepers contacted him and offered enough food donations for him to deliver breakfast to a school he worked with, so he loaded it into the back of his builder’s ute and took it to the school.

He observed immediate results. With food in their bellies, the kids became happier, friendlier, better able to concentrate and had a much greater ability to learn. Ian knew this was the start of something meaningful, so he founded KickStart for Kids.

Today, KickStart for Kids supports over 360 South Australian Schools, provides around 60,000 breakfasts and 10,000 lunches per week, and is supported by over 1000 volunteers.

Click link for more information: - https://kickstartforkids.com.au/about-us/