Appeal launched to cover school holiday lunches

Hackney Foodbank is appealing for locals to sponsor a child’s lunch this Half Term.

Their school holiday lunch club provides vouchers to families in crisis who are referred to them – enabling parents to buy lunch for their children. £10 can cover the cost of one child's lunch for a week.

Sara Battey, Head of Fundraising at the food bank, explained: “The school holidays are a real pressure point for families experiencing hardship. We regularly hear from parents who go hungry so their children can eat or face impossible choices over whether to heat their homes or eat.  Hackney Foodbank's lunch club offers parents referred to us vouchers so they can buy lunch at the supermarket for their children during the holidays.

“Thankfully the Mayor of London has ensured every primary school child in London receives a free school lunch during term time but, with food prices having increased by 28% in the past two years and benefits like Universal Credit failing to keep up, we know the cost of providing food during the holidays brings huge anxiety for many parents.”

Demand for Hackney Foodbank increased by 53% in the past year, with single parent households among those worst impacted by the cost-of-living crisis.  The charity launched a mobile food bank to support the rising number of working poor.

To support the Lunch Club, visit www.hackney.foodbank.org.uk/lunch-club or text EAT to 70470 to donate £10 (texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message).