By ROSALEEN MACBRAYNE
TAURANGA -Tauranga's outward prosperity disguises an underbelly of poverty and hungry children.
And the city's St Vincent de Paul Society, having found a need, is quietly doing something about it.
The group launched its Loaves and Fishes project at the start of the fourth school term last month by taking lunches to pupils, and the demand is growing.
Organisations in other North Island centres supply food to children, but the Tauranga initiative is a first for St Vincent de Paul.
Terry McEntee, who started Loaves and Fishes with cash from an anonymous benefactor, said: "Like every other place in New Zealand, we have a fair cross-section of people. For those on low incomes, the food budget is the only flexible item.
"The price of petrol has risen, but benefits haven't."
In some schools, lunches were stolen from other pupils, he said.
"If children are not hungry, they can learn. If they are hungry, they will be disruptive or go to sleep in class."
So far, the scheme is serving between 50 and 70 children in nine primary and intermediate schools, but Mr McEntee expects it to widen next year to reach more than 300 children.
Every weekday morning, coordinator Hilary James and her volunteer helpers make up to 150 sandwiches with a variety of fillings. They are wrapped carefully in parcels of two and a piece of fruit and a muesli bar are added.
Teachers identify who needs the food and schools tell the volunteers how many lunches they would like dropped off.
"It is very discreet. The children aren't singled out," said Hilary James, who thinks the project is merely skimming the surface of the real need.
Delcie Martin, principal of Merivale Primary, which has a daily delivery of lunches, said the service was an excellent support for the school, where breakfast was also available to hungry children.
"There is no stigma attached. We don't advertise or promote it," she said.
The food was quietly allotted without embarrassment to whoever needed it on a particular day.
"Sometimes children have forgotten to bring lunch, but we don't go into the reasons. Nothing gets wasted."
Ms Martin said Tauranga had to acknowledge that some people were struggling to feed their children adequately. She said learning and behaviour were enhanced by adequate diet and nutrition.
Needy children get free lunches
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