Congratulations Ian Steel Australia Day Citizen of the Year

Mr Ian Steel is the Founder and CEO of Kickstart for Kids. In 2011 Ian founded Kickstart for Kids on the belief that every child, regardless of their social or economic background should have an equal chance to succeed. Kickstart for Kids facilitate this belief by running breakfast and lunch programs, mentoring programs and providing basic clothing and healthcare support in South Australian schools, as well as the latest venture of Camp Kickstart.

Kickstart for Kids currently serves around 50,000 breakfasts and 10,000 lunches per week in 350 SA schools; all of this work is supported by over 600 volunteers. Over 100 Kickstart for Kids mentors are currently volunteering in schools around Adelaide spending an hour a week with a child who is at risk of disengaging from the education system, or someone who needs a significant adult in their lives.

Camp Kickstart is a school holiday care program for vulnerable and disadvantaged children aged 5 to 13 who don’t look forward to the holidays like their peers might as they are experiencing hardship. So far, over 300 kids have attended Camp Kickstart across five South Australian locations.

We acknowledge and thank Ian for having the strength to follow his heart and establish an organisation to assist the children in our state. His work has touched many people in many ways.