$120,000 boost helps feed Kiwi kids

Around 60,000 school lunches have been provided for primary school children in South Auckland over the last 15 weeks. Photo / https://www.pledgeme.co.nz

The Eat My Lunch campaign that has already fed thousands of Kiwi kids will continue to do so thanks to a $120,000 boost from the public.

The initiative encourages New Zealanders and Kiwi businesses to buy a $10 healthy lunch via the company's website. For every lunch they buy, the campaign gives a free healthy lunch for children in struggling communities.

Eat My Lunch is run by Auckland couple Lisa King and Iaan Buchanan and top chef Samoan-born Michael Meredith, who helps make the lunches every day at 6am.

Around 60,000 school lunches have been provided for primary school children in South Auckland over the last 15 weeks and more will be made thanks to a fundraising effort on the PledgeMe website.

Up to $125,000 has been donated by the New Zealand public to help the Eat My Lunch campaign continue to feed youngsters.

PledgeMe chief executive Anna Guenther said: "Eat My Lunch has built an awesome crowd around their work. It's fantastic to see the way they have activated their crowd so they can keep on providing lunches to Kiwi kids who need them.''

Ms King said if they raised another $25,000 or more, they would put that money towards a cooking school for under-privileged children to learn about cooking, nutrition and the importance of having a healthy lifestyle.

• You can still pledge on the Eat My Lunch campaign until 8pm tonight on: pldg.me/eatmylunch

ABOUT EAT MY LUNCH:

• The company gives a free lunch to a hungry child for every lunch that it sells on its website for $10.
• Run by top Auckland chef Michael Meredith, owner of Merediths Restaurant on Dominion Rd, and Mt Eden couple Lisa King and Iaan Buchanan from the couple's kitchen.
• The first recipient school is Mangere Central School, South Auckland.
• More schools are set to be included soon.

For more info visit: www.eatmylunch.nz