Volunteering with Kai for Kids has enabled teachers and staff of Ashburton Kindergarten to give back to the charitable trust helping their pupils.
Ashburton Kindergarten general manager Kalena Hirst said up to six staff had been helping with food preparation in the commercial kitchen at Ashburton Racecourse since last term.
They attended once a fortnight for up to two hours, and tasks varied depending on need.
But they had cut up vegetables for soup and made scones, muffins, cheese rolls and pikelets.
Hirst said Kai for Kids Charitable Trust provided full meals at two of its five kindergartens in Ashburton, top up food and some lunches at two others.
More than 14,360 meals were received by tamariki within the kindergarten network last year.
She said offering food was one of the many benefits at its kindergartens which were for children aged two to six.
‘‘We provide free, high-quality early learning so every child can attend and thrive,’’ Hirst said.
‘‘One of the ways we remove barriers and ensure all children can received a high quality learning experience is to provide kai at most of our kindergartens. Kai for Kids provides this for us.
‘‘We continue to see strong benefits for tamariki and whanau.’’
Benefits included kids having balanced, nutritious food that gave them steady energy throughout the day.
It also reduced a reliance on highly processed foods, she said.
‘‘Teachers observe calmer play, stronger engagement and improved behaviour – conditions that support learning,’’ Hirst said.
Kai for Kids board member Jaz McCully was on hand to guide the volunteers making bulk cheese rolls and pikelets.
She had the art down pat, having learned from the best, she said.
Across the district, Kai for Kids fed 900 children a day were at a variety of schools.
She said volunteers from community groups and organisations such as Ashburton Kindergarten were much appreciated.
‘‘We are very grateful,’’ she said.
Kai for Kids provides morning teas and lunches for schools and kindies in the district.
It is Ashburton-based and provides for all allergies and cultural groups within our community of learners. Each term a new menu is set, and all meals are made from scratch using fresh produce.
