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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday 27 September, 2012

'CAMPBELL LIVE' AND KIDSCAN JOIN FORCES FOR LUNCHBOX DAY - A NATIONWIDE FUNDRAISER ON FRIDAY 28 SEPTEMBER

This Friday, 28 September, is Lunchbox Day,, a Campbell Live initiative to provide school lunches for children in low decile primary schools, by raising funds for Kids Can.

Lunchbox Day has grown out of Campbell Live’s ongoing investigation into the issue of child poverty in New Zealand and its social and economic impacts.

The aim of the day is to provide timely, practical help to the children in decile one to four schools, who are currently going hungry during the school day. Fundraising includes grass-roots activity around the country and direct donations to Cure Kids. Donors can also give $3 (the cost of a healthy school lunch) to Kids Can by texting LUNCH to 8595.

John Campbell says the programme has been inundated with messages of support and offers of help.

“Child poverty is complex issue, but the one thing we all agree on is that the children themselves are not to blame and that in everyone’s long term interests, something has to be done about this.”

From Riverton to Northland, schools, businesses and other groups have taken up the challenge and are running community events; from school discos and mufti days, to sausage sizzles and wacky hair days, to a bake sale at the Ohakea Air Base, a black and red day in Christchurch, to a business leaders’ lunch.

Friday’s Campbell Live programme will feature as many of these activities as possible, with journalists reporting from around the country. Viewers are invited to join the conversation at www.facebook.com/CampbellLiveNZ and by using the #lunchboxday on Twitter.

The Campbell Live Lunchbox Day special screens at 7pm, Friday 28 September on TV3.

How to donate:
• KidsCan Charitable Trust: ASB BANK 12 3026 0348180 03
• Text LUNCH to 8595 for an automatic $3 donation to "shout a child lunch". The $3 text line will be open for a month, and 100% of the proceeds go to KidsCan.

ENDS

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