New delivery vehicle keeps school students fuelled
A local charity ensuring school students are well-fed before a day of learning has a new delivery vehicle, thanks to federal funding.
Federal Member for Herbert Phillip Thompson helped unload donated breakfast goods from the new car, purchased with the assistance of a $19,990 grant through the Stronger Communities Program, at Northern Beaches State High School today.
Mr Thompson said the vehicle would help local charity Fuel for Schools reach more of the 1 in 7 kids in our community who don’t eat breakfast.
“We all know how hard it is to concentrate on an empty stomach, which is why the work this fantastic local charity does is so important,” he said.
“Paula Pool and Demelza Gardem have been doing an incredible job for many years collecting donated breakfast foods from generous people in our community, and ensuring they’re delivered to school students who need them most.
“That’s why I’m so proud to have been involved in helping the team obtain the funding for a dedicated vehicle to allow this important work to continue and expand.
“I want to congratulate Paula and Demelza on all their efforts and their successful application, and encourage everyone in the community to get behind this wonderful charity.”
Mr Thompson said the organisation was one of a number who had benefitted from the Federal Government’s Stronger Communities Program, Round 6.
“This has been a fantastic way we can give local not-for-profit organisations who do great work in our community a hand up,” he said.
Fuel For Schools makes weekly breakfast donations to Pimlico, Kirwan, Thuringowa, Townsville, William Ross, Northern Beaches, Heatley, Townsville Community Learning Centre, Central and Woodstock State Schools as well as the Positive Learning Centre in Townsville based on orders that the schools submit.
The charity donates, on average per week, 70 loaves of bread, 36 litres of UHT milk, 8kg of jam, 2kg of vegemite, 2kg of peanut butter, 2 litres of honey, 2kg of creamed cheese, 7kg of milo, 8kg of margarine, 10kg of canned spaghetti, 1kg of baked beans as well as cartons of Cornflakes and Weet-Bix.
For more information on current grant opportunities visit http://www.philthompson.com.au/grants/.
ENDS