// Asda to donate half a million meals over Easter holidays to help tackle food poverty
// Kids will also be able to eat free in Asda cafes
Asda has announced plans to donate over half a million meals to families in need throughout the Easter holidays as part of efforts to help tackle food poverty.
Through its Fight Hunger partnership with food redistribution charity FareShare, Asda’s donation will help vulnerable families access free meals over the holiday period, which might otherwise have gone to waste.
In addition to this support, the Big 4 grocer said it would also donate over 45,000 meals throughout the school holidays from its cafes, as children aged 16 and under can access a nutritionally balanced hot or cold meal when an adult spends £1.
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The offer will also be available to takeaway.
The announcement comes after Asda revealed that its support has enabled FareShare to distribute over 100 million meals to vulnerable people – thanks to the retail giant’s transformational £25 million Fight Hunger partnership.
The partnership brings together charities FareShare and the Trussell Trust and aims to create long-term positive change to poverty in the UK.
“The past year has been so challenging for many families in our local communities, which is why we are so proud of our Fight Hunger partnership with FareShare, which will enable over half a million meals to be donated to those in need over the school holidays, which might otherwise have gone to waste,” Asda community senior director Jo Warner said.
“We know that over the school holidays, our charity partners and local food banks and community groups experience an increased demand for food parcels, which is why we are pleased to be able to provide meals to those families who might otherwise have relied on free school meals.”
FareShare chief executive Lindsay Boswell said: “FareShare’s network of staff and volunteers across the UK will be continuing to work tirelessly, as it has done all year, to get good surplus food to the children and families who need it this Easter.
“Now more than ever it is vitally important to ensure vulnerable children can access healthy, nutritious food.
“At a time when the need for our service has never been higher, this support from Asda is crucial, enabling us to work with thousands of local, grassroots projects across the UK to deliver millions of meals to disadvantaged communities throughout April and beyond.”
Through the retailer’s Fight Hunger Create Change programme, Asda has invested in FareShare’s infrastructure over the past three years, funding new warehouses and refits which has enabled FareShare to redistribute an additional 71 million meals and support an additional 4000 charities to be able to receive food donations.
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