More than 600 school children are getting a healthy boost through the Port Adelaide’s Football Club’s ground-breaking Power to End Hunger partnership with Foodbank SA and IGA supermarkets.

Students at 13 primary schools across the metropolitan area are taking part in a four-week pilot program delivering breakfast and messages about the importance of a nutritious start to the day.

Each school has partnered with a local IGA supermarket which is supplying all breakfast provisions as a part of IGA’s commitment as an inaugural principal partner of the Power to End Hunger campaign.

Port Adelaide CEO Keith Thomas said the program was the latest positive community outcome from the club’s unique partnership with Foodbank SA.

“The Power to End Hunger partnership is one of Port Adelaide’s proudest achievements from 2012 and it continues to make a real difference to the lives of many South Australians,” Mr Thomas said.

“IGA was among the first to come aboard with Port Adelaide and Foodbank as we set about elevating awareness of this important social issue and finding ways to help end hunger.

“Now, it’s delivering on its commitment by supplying food to local schools in what is starting out as a trial program, but one we can see growing with the Power to End Hunger campaign.”

Schools taking part in the trial are using IGA’s support in individual ways, with some starting new breakfast and nutrition programs and others expanding or looking to secure existing initiatives.

General Manager of Metcash Food & Grocery Richard Hinson said he hoped the pilot program would lead to long-term relationships between schools and local IGA supermarkets to promote the need for a healthy start to the day and good nutrition more generally.

“In a country as affluent as Australia, it is disturbing that more than 5,000 children in our State go to school hungry every day,” Mr Hinson said.

“As IGA supermarkets are conveniently located throughout South Australia, we will be able to reach schools in all areas and our store owners will work directly with their local schools on this program.

“IGA are delighted to partner with Foodbank and the Port Adelaide Football Club to introduce a program to give all children a healthy start to their school day with a wholesome and nutritional breakfast”.

Foodbank SA CEO Richard Pagliaro thanked IGA for its support and said the program would help his organisation meet the rising demand for food relief via 600 South Australian charities alone.

“The idea of IGA helping to give children a healthy start to the day and ensuring they understand the need for a decent breakfast is fantastic because it assists a really important education process that lasts a long way beyond school,” Mr Pagliaro said.

“It reinforces that healthy food actually tastes good and that’s the biggest part of the battle in fighting hunger and building life-long eating habits.

“If we can get that right at the beginning we are teachings kids how good healthy food is to eat, how easy it is to prepare and eat healthily, and in doing that we set them up for life of good nutrition. When you’ve done that there is no excuse for anyone to be hungry.”

Brighton Primary School principal Judith Allen said she was grateful for an opportunity to join the program as it broadened community involvement in the school’s successful breakfast club and had the potential to guarantee its long-term future while ensuring it could meet demand.

“Breakfast is a really important way to start the day in that it gets your body and mind working properly and that’s vital for good learning,” Ms Allen said.

“What you eat and when you eat can have a really significant effect on how you learn.

“We make our breakfast club available to any student who wants to be a part of it. It helps children who may be unable to get a proper breakfast at home, run out of time on a hectic morning or just enjoy the company and the settling experience of sitting down for a morning meal before embarking on the school day.”

Port Adelaide recruit Lewis Stevenson attended Brighton Primary School on Friday to talk with some of the children who enjoy the breakfast program.

The program is also being trialled at Angle Vale Primary School, Banksia Park R-7 School, Brompton Primary School, Christie Downs Primary School Flinders Park Primary School, Fulham Gardens Primary School, Goodwood Primary School, Morphett Vale Primary School, Para Hills West Primary School, Plympton Primary School, Swallowcliffe R-7 School and Wandana Primary School.

The Power to End Hunger-IGA initiative will be evaluated at the end of the school year ahead of consideration to expand it in 2013.