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Hunger, for most, is a fleeting sensation, a temporary discomfort easily quelled. It might visit between meals or as we try to drop a few kilos. But for millions of Australians, persistent hunger is a constant pall hanging over one’s every move, moment and emotion.
The latest Foodbank Hunger Report released this month shows that this is the reality for too many Australians, with one in three households across the nation struggling to put food on the table. It is a crisis that is often hidden from view.
The definition of food insecurity covers three cohorts — people who worry about having enough (11 per cent) people who compromise meal choices (13 per cent); and people who are actively skipping meals (19 per cent).
These pressures are changing the way people live. They are buying less dairy, meat and fresh produce; cutting back on cleaning products and relying more on credit cards or buy now, pay later.
A few things stand out about the groups of people who are experiencing food insecurity. They are:
- 20 per cent of people on the minimum wage,
- 69 per cent of single parent households,
- 29 per cent of people with mortgages,
- 45 per cent of people renting.
For me, the most striking statistic was that 79 per cent said they were experiencing food insecurity for the first time.
It goes without saying that this is placing huge pressure on NCOSS members like FoodBank, which is reporting huge demand for its Schools Breakfast Program.
Foodbank is working at Ashcroft Public School in Southwest Sydney as part of the philanthropically funded ‘Mirrung’ program, which is changing the trajectory of the community around Ashcroft Public School.
They provide breakfast for up to 60 kids every day, which is almost a third of the school enrolments. They have food available for students throughout the day and extend that support to their families with frozen meals, food hampers and other food donations that families can take home if there won’t be enough food.
Teachers are noticing the difference: “Kids are accessing the breakfast club regularly… They’re coming to class with a belly full, so they already have a higher chance of accessing the learning of being engaged or being in a good mood because they’re not hungry.”
This has been a foundational part of the program that has seen a remarkable shift in attendance from below the state average to above the state average. The food program has been a way to build trust with parents and families and the school kitchen has become a place where families can come to discuss their challenges with a trusted face and connect with health, legal and social services.
This is a story we should be aiming to replicate across our state, where a simple meal can have the cascading effect on families doing it the toughest. Because we all know on a full stomach, it’s easier to confront the other big problems that life will serve us.
