School food banks are on the frontline fighting Holiday Hunger
Low-income families are among the hardest hit by the cost of living crisis. The demand on school food banks spikes during the school holidays when families lose the support of free school meals. City Harvest has experienced greater demand for food support amongst schools and nurseries. Many school food banks emerged during Covid-19 and continue to support those in most need.
Dormers Wells Primary School in Southall is one of City Harvest food charity’s free food recipients that has seen an increase in demand for food support. Volunteer, Shireen says that families need all the help that they can get as expenses go up significantly during the holidays.
“City Harvest does what it can to get food to those who need it.”
“We’re finding there’s been at least a 50% increase in demand for our food in the last 18 months. You then get to the holiday period and that goes up even more. I’ve got a waiting list of loads of charities and schools and educational establishments are a significant chunk of those. We simply don’t have the food to take on any more charities at the moment.”
Marco Torquati, Head of Community Impact, City Harvest London
“When we see children with nothing in their packed lunch, we find them food from the kitchen and make up a food parcel from the food bank and discreetly give it to the parents.”
Family Support Worker – Dormers Wells Primary School
City Harvest’s Value of Food Redistribution to People report explores Holiday Hunger, what it means, and how City Harvest food helps our 375+ London charity partners.
Read more in the full report here.
What does Holiday Hunger mean?
City Harvest’s Value of Food Redistribution to People report, published in June 2023, brings you the voices of our partners, helping understand the reality of what summer holidays mean to those already living on the edge.
