Ben Jones, leading hand at Komatsu, has used his Live Your Dream grant to support Fuel for Schools, a North Queensland charity providing breakfast to schoolchildren who would otherwise start the day without having eaten.
Live Your Dream is Komatsu’s employee-led initiative that provides a $10,000 grant to support a community project or organisation chosen by staff.
Based in Townsville, Jones had followed Fuel for Schools for several years through his former colleague, Paddy Pool, who now works full time with the charity.
“I saw the impact Paddy and the team were having through social media and it opened my eyes to an issue I never imagined was so common – children in our community going to school without food,” says Jones.
The Live Your Dream grant enabled Jones to join the Fuelling the Future breakfast club at a local primary school, preparing and serving meals with the team. Teachers spoke with him about the difference a simple meal can make to a child’s confidence and classroom engagement. Jones also witnessed how the program’s scope has expanded.
“Supplying kids a piece of toast in the morning is how it started,” he says. “But it’s now grown into something that helps build trust and safe spaces, where students feel comfortable opening up to teachers about challenges at home. That enables schools to connect families with further support.”
The scale of the program is growing. In 2024, Fuel for Schools supported 60 schools across North Queensland, providing almost 7,000 meals each week at a cost of $1,500 to $2,000 per week.
Related stories:
- Komatsu’s new PC950-11 delivers more power with less fuel
- Komatsu’s Boots On returns with debut of PC220LCi-12 excavator
- Shaping skilled site teams at Komatsu Training Academy
“That’s a pretty substantial cost for a charity, so it was amazing to be able to support them through Live Your Dream and extend the program to more children in need,” says Jones.
“The feedback from the charity and the school staff was incredibly positive. For me, it was an eye-opener, seeing how such a simple act can change a child’s day, and maybe even their future.”