"Parents strained to provide food for their children resorted to selling personal belongings, such as toys and clothing, including savings from their children's birthdays, during the holiday season"
Every summer, the charity's services are oversubscribed, a clear indication of the growing need for support in the community. The charity, which provides 5,000 cooked meals daily, is unable to meet the demand, a situation that has led to concern from its head of community engagement, Rachel Ledwith.
According to Ledwith, more working families are struggling to feed their children, a trend that is reflected in the increasing number of families turning to food banks each year. Despite the charity's efforts, she lamented that children are still going hungry.
In a bid to alleviate some of the pressure, the government has announced an investment of £600m to extend the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for another three years. The DfE recognizes the school holidays as a particularly pressurized time for parents, and the HAF programme aims to help by providing holiday childcare, activities, and food for children eligible for free school meals. This initiative is expected to save parents more than £300 a year.
The extension of government funding for the HAF programme is welcome news for many, but the demand for the charity's services remains high. The Felix Project, which supports around 1,200 organizations across the capital, has 800 on the waitlist, highlighting the ongoing need for support.
Elsewhere, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany has expanded support for large families struggling with nutrition during school holidays. Through the "Familienzeit NRW" program, low-income and large families can take a break with meals and family-friendly activities in family holiday homes in NRW or nationwide.
As the issue of food insecurity during school holidays continues to be a pressing concern, the efforts of charities, governments, and organisations like the Felix Project and the "Familienzeit NRW" programme are more important than ever.
