A Sebastopol school principal says any government support for food programs at her school would help alleviate administration pressures.
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On Wednesday, July 26, City of Ballarat councillors supported a motion from Cr Belinda Coates on advocating to the state government for food security measures.
Michelle Wilson, who has led Sebastopol Primary School since 2016 said breakfast and lunch programs have had a positive impact on her school.
![Sebastopol Primary School principal Michelle Wilson said a third of students use the breakfast program five days a week. Picture by Lachlan Bence Sebastopol Primary School principal Michelle Wilson said a third of students use the breakfast program five days a week. Picture by Lachlan Bence](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/116320384/b69a70b3-c5c2-43eb-94e2-1569847f99b1.jpg/r0_0_5568_3712_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Children at the moment, with the amount of financial stress, may be coming to school hungry because they didn't have a lot for dinner and there may not have been much available for breakfast," Ms Wilson said.
The motion, which was supported by all present councillors, will have Ballarat council advocate to the state government to establish an action plan for implementing the 10 policy priorities in the "Towards a Healthy, Regenerative and Equitable Food System in Victoria".
One of these would be for school food systems.
![City of Ballarat councillor Belinda Coates said food security needs were increasing which was why the council needed to advocate for a food system action plan. Picture file City of Ballarat councillor Belinda Coates said food security needs were increasing which was why the council needed to advocate for a food system action plan. Picture file](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/116320384/1d7d4d29-5239-4634-b04c-e46a3d84b3b0.jpg/r0_0_4284_2846_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Sebastopol Primary School had offered a breakfast program for years and Ms Wilson said 30 per cent of students used the program five days a week.
"It's run by a combination of volunteers from private industry, church, and parents and grandparents," Ms Wilson said.
Ms Wilson said the school had regular access to food banks and Sebastopol supermarkets.
"The generosity and the focus of the community is making sure the students have those nutritional needs covered," she said.
"Housing, food and love are very important for children coming to school, kids loving coming to school and we get them off to the right start with a third or more accessing Breakfast Club everyday."
Ms Wilson said with more funding they'd be able to offer more hot meals for the students.
"It would help with the amount of work we spend ordering, delivering and organising all this.
"I'm using part of my staffing funding to help do the admin and logistics because it's a substantial amount of work."
Housing, food and love are very important for children coming to school, kids loving coming to school and we get them off to the right start with a third or more accessing Breakfast Club everyday.
- Sebastopol PS principal Michelle Wilson
Ms Wilson said the school also used part of the wellbeing funding for the food program.
In the past 12 months, the school had provided 1600 meals.
During the meeting, Cr Coates said "we are facing the worst cost of living crisis in recent memory."
"We've heard from residents, community networks and service providers that requests for food relief are escalating," she said.
Cr Coates said the council had heard from organisations, with requests up 50 per cent.
"The cost of food in supermarkets is escalating as well," she said.
"Any advocacy that we can do in this space is really important."
Cr Coates said they needed to advocate for not just a "sustainable and equitable food system but a healthy food system."
Ballarat council officers work with public schools on food systems.
Deputy mayor Amy Johnson said legislating the right to food would be a "highly positive step".
"We have so much food in our city, in our state, we have so much wealth and yet we have people who can't afford to eat," Cr Johnson said.
"Organisation's are experiencing growing numbers every day, more and more people are presenting to emergency food services and that's concerning."
Cr Coates said while Ballarat wait for the food hub to to open, it would not "solve everything".
Ballarat council will support over 79 fellow local councils in the Municipal Association of Victoria to advocate for the action plan.
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