About KickStart for Kids
KickStart for Kids is a not-for-profit organisation that helps disadvantaged school children in South Australia achieve positive educational outcomes and increased self-esteem through school breakfast and lunch programs, mentoring programs and their Camp KickStart school holiday care program.
Founded on the belief that all children should have an equal chance to succeed, regardless of their social or economic background, their mission is to help level the playing field through their various programs.
KickStart for Kids currently serves around 50,000 breakfasts per week in 350 SA schools. The schools are spread widely across South Australia in the north, west, south and several regional areas. As children who come to school without having breakfast generally also don’t have lunch to eat, their volunteers also make 10,000 cheese and vegemite sandwiches each week.
Every school holidays, over 350 kids attend KickStart for Kids camps across five South Australian locations. The charity provides kids with transport to and from home and excursions with food, books, clothes and fun things to do as well as partnering them with a mentor for extra support and self-esteem building.
How did Perks make the decision to support the KickStart for Kids cause?
Perks formed a Social Responsibility Committee (SRC) and subsequently surveyed all Team Members to understand which kinds of causes they wanted the firm to support.
The overwhelming majority of Team Members indicated that they wanted to support disadvantaged children in South Australia and specifically KickStart for Kids was called out as the charity of their choice.
It was particularly important that the chosen charity was local, so they could not only see the difference their dollar was making, but they could actively get involved by volunteering their time.
The Perks SRC is Chaired by Director, Kerry Bosnich and supported by Associate Director, Tim Haslam.
CEO, James Black said when the Perks SRC met with KickStart for Kids Founder & CEO, Ian Steel, it was clear that this was the cause Perks wanted to contribute both time and financially.
“Hearing Ian’s story and the work that KickStart for Kids does with South Australia’s disadvantage children really resonated with our Perks Team,” says James.
“This local, grassroots initiative has helped so many disadvantaged children through its school breakfast and school camp programs and has really made a difference in their lives. It really is remarkable what Ian and the hundreds of volunteers supporting this great cause have achieved over the years. We felt compelled to get involved and support their mission.”
How has Perks committed to support KickStart for Kids?
Perks has pledged a $30,000 donation to KickStart for Kids as a starting point. They have had a great response to a recruitment drive, with 76 Perks Team Members volunteering to form a roster to help with their breakfast service at local schools. There will also be other opportunities for Perks Team Members who cannot commit to time but want to support, to donate via salary sacrifice. We also hope to concentrate any fundraising efforts to support the KickStart for Kids cause. There is much more to come from Perks and their support for KickStart for Kids so stand by for further updates.
How can you get involved?
Visit the KickStart for Kids website to learn more about this incredible organisation and how you can support their programs. Contributions can be made either at a business level or on an individual basis, through volunteering, financial or physical donations.
