FareShare Lewisham, a food redistribution charity, is seeking volunteers to help during the school holiday, writes Hillary Chaisson…
Help is needed in the warehouse: packing, sorting orders, and driving the vans for delivery; the need for volunteers is vital, says the charity.
According to the Child Poverty Action Group, 700,000 (37%) of children in London live in poverty, and are eligible for free school meals. However, with this safety net being removed for six weeks over the summer, many families face financial pressure. Oftentimes with a result of children receiving little food and little money for activities. These actions result in many children returning to school malnourished, tired, and unable to learn.
Rachel Ledwith, Development Manager at FareShare London, said: “School holidays should be fun and full of new experiences, but the reality is it can be a really tough time for low income and vulnerable families- many which rely on free school meals during term time.”
By providing nutritious snacks and meals, the charity helps to ensure that every child can access a varied diet, as well as enjoying plenty of fun activities like sport and drama.
FareShare is the UK’s biggest surplus food redistribution charity, delivering over 20,000 tonnes of surplus food to almost 11,000 charities across the UK including: homeless hostels, women’s refuges, community centres, and school breakfast clubs.
To donate or find our more, visit: http://fareshare.org.uk/ActiveAte
To register as a volunteer, visit: http://fareshare.org.uk/volunteer