BUZZ BEAT MEDIA

The Food Bank Singapore has launched its Back-to-School Support Programme, which will see the charity distributing 50,000 support kits to school-going children from lower-income families throughout 2026. The programme marks the organisation’s first sustained effort to address both food and non-food needs.

A research¹ done by Singapore Management University has shown that food insecurity can affect children’s concentration, energy levels, and readiness to learn, underscoring the importance of holistic back-to-school support. Developed based on further insights from Hunger Report II², the Back-to-School Support Programme responds to findings that food insecurity is often accompanied by unmet non-food needs, particularly among children.

While The Food Bank Singapore has supported non-food needs, such as hygiene kits on an ad hoc basis in the past, this programme marks the organisation’s first intentional effort to provide a more structured and holistic support for school-going children.

Targeted at school-going children from lower-income families, the programme aims to provide 50,000 Back-to-School Support Kits in 2026, with distribution planned across multiple waves throughout the year. Distribution of the kits is scheduled to begin in February 2026 and continue throughout 2026.

Each Back-to-School Support Kit will include two protein items (canned items suitable for breakfast), two cereals or energy bars, two drinks (milk, plant-based, or energy drinks), and one treat item, alongside a basic stationery set in a soft case and a canvas lunch tote. The food items comprise a mix of rescued food, donated items, and purchased goods, with The Food Bank Singapore procuring additional items when donations fall short of quantity or nutritional requirements, enabling them to maintain consistency and quality across kits.

Beneficiaries of the programme will be identified through schools and existing beneficiary partners of The Food Bank Singapore, including PERTAPIS Education and Welfare Centre, Red Cross, and Woodlands Social Centre. To ensure smooth and efficient delivery, distribution will be conducted in multiple waves throughout 2026, coordinated with partner organisations based on their distribution capacity and timelines. The first wave is scheduled to begin in February 2026, with plans to engage additional partner organisations in subsequent waves.

 
Arthur Chin, Executive Director of The Food Bank Singapore, said, “From our work on the ground, we know that many children from lower-income families skip breakfast and recess, and also have minimal school supplies. The Back-to-School Support Programme was developed with this reality in mind. The food items were selected specifically to address missed meals, while stationery was included to provide more holistic support, ensuring children can start the school day better equipped to learn and participate.”

Joel Seah, Executive Director of Woodlands Social Centre, said, “We are grateful for The Food Bank Singapore’s support in providing food and stationery assistance to children from lower-income families in our community. This support helps ease the daily burden on families and ensures that school-going children are better equipped to focus on their learning and well-being. We appreciate that the food support items are well thought through, comprising items that school-going children will typically consume during breakfast and/or recess”

Members of the public and corporate partners can support the programme by pledging $13 per Back-to-School Support Kit via Giving.sg. While each kit is pledged at $13, its actual value is significantly higher, made possible through bulk procurement, responsible stewardship of resources, and the effective channelling of surplus food and in-kind donations. 

Frasers Property Singapore, a long-standing partner of The Food Bank Singapore since 2019, will provide space for pop-up booths at its commercial properties, Frasers Towers and Alexandra Technopark, in February. The pop-ups will engage the community and encourage pledges in support of the back-to-school programme. Details of the pop-ups will be announced on The Food Bank Singapore’s social media channels.

Food donations and surplus supporting the first batch of distribution include those from Nestlé, Mondelez, Oatside, and Pauls, alongside procured items. Subsequent distribution batches may involve different food donors and procured items.

The Back-to-School Support Programme forms a part of The Food Bank Singapore’s broader efforts to improve food security in a more comprehensive manner, recognising that children’s ability to learn and thrive in school is closely linked to access to both nutritious food and essential school supplies.

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About The Food Bank Singapore

Established in 2012, The Food Bank Singapore is the nation’s only accredited member of The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN), an organisation that supports food banks in more than 50 countries. As an IPC-registered charity (non-government funded), we collect surplus food from manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and consumers, and channel it to vulnerable communities through our network of beneficiary partners. We also procure food as needed to meet the food support requirements of our beneficiary partners/beneficiaries. Beyond providing vital food support to improve food security, we champion food sustainability through advocacy, reducing food waste, and driving education programmes that inspire action to reduce food waste and build a more sustainable future.

For more information, connect with The Food Bank Singapore on their website and on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn to stay updated on the latest news, promotions, and more.

*All Photos from The Food Bank Singapore