Do Some Good is proud to have been supporting Ōwhiro Bay School for the last two years, a place of both learning and connection, in the heart of Ōwhiro Bay.

The support Do Some Good provides; fruit, non-perishable and staple foods, toiletries and frozen meals, empowers and uplifts the school community.

Tamariki who have not been able to have breakfast before the start of the school day, or may feel hungry during the day for other reasons, are able to eat kai provided by Do Some Good at kura (school), alongside their kaiako or other school staff.

Something kaiako and other school staff have been noticing, is that before tamariki are able to eat kai at kura, they may struggle focussing, or have other behavioural issues, because of not having eaten enough.

Cilla Scott, Tumuaki of Ōwhiro Bay School says “That’s quite a new thing for us, asking, is this a food thing? Is this behaviour, food related right now?”

Fresh fruit provided by Do Some Good means tamariki are able to enjoy a wide range of fruit that they may have not tried before or have regular access too.

The kai delivered by Do Some Good is not only given out to tamariki during the day to eat at school, but also goes into the Pātaka Kai (food bank) all whānau have access too, to take kai from to eat at home whenever they need it, without any prerequisites needing to be met. If they would like too, whānau are also able to donate, but this is not a requirement to take kai from the Pātaka Kai.

Amie Roberts, an Ōwhiro Bay School parent and leader in ParentLink says ” it’s just like - here’s the Pātaka Kai, it’s open to anyone, anyone can use it. Anyone can also donate to it. It just normalises being able to access food whenever you need it. ”

Cilla Says “During the time where a lot of people were losing jobs in the public service, there was just no telling who needed the support.”

In February of this year it was reported the cost of living crisis has left 1 in 2 peopleliving in New Zealand struggling to afford essentials

The easy access to kai during the school day for tamariki to eat at school and for their whānau to take home if needed, reduces food insecurity in the Ōwhiro Bay community.

Research from the US has shown 57% of children were less likely to be absent from school if they were growing up in a food secure household.

Whānau at Ōwhiro Bay School are all part of ParentLink, a parent led group that provides support and pastoral care to the school community and undertakes fundraising and community engagement activities for the school.

The support of Do Some Good has relieved some of the financial pressure that ParentLink was facing.

Amie says “ParentLink was spending quite a lot of money on pastoral care. So now that can go on things for children’s education or leisure, sports uniforms or kapa haka uniforms or whatever Cilla wants to spend it on, as opposed to basic necessities.”

When thinking of the future of Ōwhiro Bay School, Cilla says “Our vision as a board is for this school to continue serving our students, whānau and community, by offering fantastic learning opportunities and excellent facilities. We want to meet the holistic needs of our tamariki so they are well set up for learning and growth. We’re currently planning an upgrade to our tennis and basketball courts, and that’s as much about supporting the wider community as it is about our students. We also want to preserve our unique character as a small, resilient school in a rugged yet stunning location, committed to growing great humans for the future of Aotearoa.”