He has also started two sports programmes, found local businesses to provide food, and linked the school with Elim College, St Kentigern College, Farm Cove Intermediate and Bayfield School in Herne Bay, which donate food, clothing or sports coaching and in turn get help with Maori and Pacific cultural programmes.
The foodbank was started last year to help families who kept children home because they didn't have food for lunches.
School attendance rates are up, and a state-funded social worker in schools, Rochelle Hartley, works with the families to help them budget, cook and spend time with their children at breakfast and after school.
"We are trying to create a template that we can take to Government and other organisations and say, 'Hey, this works'," Mr Farrelly said.
The Government has helped. Over the past two years it has extended social workers in schools to all decile 1 to 3 schools, boosting coverage from 285 schools to 673.
An expert group appointed by Children's Commissioner Dr Russell Wills proposed six more "immediate priorities" to reduce child poverty by a "collaborative food in schools programme", low-interest loans to help families avoid crippling debts, a rental housing "warrant of fitness", more teen parent schools, using schools as community hubs, and passing on child support to beneficiaries.
Group co-chairman Professor Jonathan Boston said he expected something in the Budget about food in schools.
Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith has said his officials are working on a possible rental "warrant of fitness" scheme, but it is not know if this is ready to include in the Budget.
The 2010 Budget funded seven supported homes for teen parents and this one may add to the existing 20 teen parent schools.
Top 6 for kids
Likely
*Food in schools
*Low-interest loans
Maybe
*Rental housing warrant of fitness
*More teen parent schools
*Community service hubs
Unlikely
*Pass on child support to beneficiaries
On the web
www.breakfastclub.org.nz
