Breakfast club starts at Ettalong

Ettalong Public School has joined the Red Cross Good Start Breakfast Club, which serves more than 424,000 breakfasts in NSW each year.

Red Cross regional manager Mr Peter McCloskey said that between five and eight per cent of families experience times when they have no food and no money to purchase food, with children vulnerable.

"Red Cross Breakfast Club makes sure kids who would otherwise go hungry get a nutritious start to the day," Mr McCloskey said.

"The kids learn about healthy eating and develop important social skills.

"The clubs also have a positive impact on their schooling, where students' behaviour and concentration levels improve dramatically on the days they're involved in the breakfast club.

"Research shows that not eating a nutritious breakfast can adversely affect a child's ability to concentrate, their social behaviour and early physical development.

"It's very exciting to have three new clubs up and running over the next few months."

The club will operate at the school three mornings per week.

Press release, 20 Aug 2008 Elaine Rees, Red Cross