Nourishing students, empowering communities

WCS’s Canteens 4 Kids ACT is transforming school food and employment in Canberra, serving 25+ schools and thousands of students daily.

Our Canteens and Catering Business Lead, Jacqui Gowan recently shared about Canteen 4 Kids ACT in ABC Radio’s Nightlife Program. You can listen to the ABC Radio segment here.

What we do

In partnership with the ACT Education Directorate, we operate 26 School Canteens across Canberra schools – and we’re growing.

The service ensures that students receive healthy, nutritious meals daily and provides employment opportunities for people facing barriers to work. By incorporating our social enterprise, Pulse Catering, into this project, we are expanding the reach of our programs and creating sustainable services that benefit both the students and the wider community.

Healthy Meals for Better Learning

The food served in our canteens follows the ACT Government’s “traffic light” system, based on the National Healthy School Canteens guidelines. Every meal is designed to give students the nutrition they need for better focus, learning, and overall wellbeing.

We believe that access to healthy food is directly linked to better educational outcomes, and our canteens are one way we contribute to improving the lives of young people in Canberra.

Want to learn more?

Email canteens4kidsact@wcs.org.au to find out more!