// Morrisons to donate 15.000 lunchboxes every day during half-term to school children in need
// The move aims to fight holiday hunger this half term and follows a related campaign by football star Marcus Rashford
// Customers can also purchase pre-packed bags of groceries to feed young people
Morrisons stores are joining the national effort to ensure no school child in need goes without an adequate meal this half term by donating 75,000 lunch boxes – which works out at 15,000 daily.
The lunch boxes will be distributed daily by each store of the grocer’s 498 stores to local food banks and schools so they can get them to school children in need.
The lunch box includes a freshly made sandwich, a piece of fruit and a Soreen snack pack. 
Morrisons is also offering customers the option to support the effort by buying their own ‘Pick Up Packs’, which will also be distributed to young people.
The packs cost between £1 and £5 and contain a nutritionally balanced mix of food products that have been requested by the local food banks and schools according to their needs.
The pre-packed parcels are available at the front of all Morrisons stores and are paid for at the checkout. The pack is then put aside for delivery to those in need.
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“We want to do our bit to ensure that as many school children as possible can eat good, nutritious food while they are out of school,” Morrisons community director Rebecca Singleton said.
“We will be delighted if customers are also able to donate food in our stores to help fight holiday hunger.”
Morrisons’ campaign comes on the back of a petition that garnered more than 1 million signatures and launched by football star Marcus Rashford, who lobbied the government to extend free meals into the school holidays.
The Manchester United star’s mission to ensure no child goes hungry has gripped the nation and caused a major headache for the government that has opposed funding his campaign.
Rashford has also been using his social media platforms to highlight the efforts of local communities and calling on the public to sign his petition, as well as sharing posts from food retailers and cafes that were offering free or discounted meals for children in need.
Rashford has won high praise for his work raising the issue of child food poverty, and was recently awarded an MBE.
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