Government expands breakfast clubs program in schools

BELLARINE Secondary College will be the latest school in the region to benefit from the Victorian government’s school breakfast clubs program, when it joins the initiative next year.

Delivered in partnership with Foodbank Victoria, the school breakfast clubs program provides healthy breakfasts, lunches, snacks and take-home food packs to students and families in need.

Students at both Bellarine Secondary College’s Ocean Grove and Drysdale campuses will be able to get access to fresh and locally produced foods through the breakfast club from the start of next year.

The school will become the fifth school in the Bellarine to participate in the program, joining Leopold Primary School, Portarlington Primary School, Surfside Primary School and St Leonards Primary School.

Bellarine MP Alison Marchant said the school breakfast clubs program had already made an incredible difference across the region.

“Having the breakfast club at schools across the Bellarine supports so many local students and families every day,” she said.

“We’re helping busy families with the cost of living and the cost of learning – serving up 50 million meals so no child goes to school hungry and helping with back-to-school costs with our $400 School Saving Bonus.”

Since it was established in 2016, more than 1,000 schools have joined the breakfast clubs program and a $21.1 million investment in the state government’s 2024-25 budget will see the program rolled out to every government school across Victoria.

As part of the expansion, 150 more schools will join the program by June next year, and by June 2026, breakfast clubs will be set up in all government schools that opt into the program.

Minister for Education Ben Carroll said children should not learn on an empty stomach.

He said his government had served up 50 million free meals and was expanding the program across the state.

“I congratulate everyone who helped achieve this milestone – you have given countless children a nutritious meal every morning, and helped their families put affordable, healthy food on the table at home.”

For more information, head to vic.gov.au/school-breakfast-clubs-program