City of Lincoln Council has announced it is providing £10,000 worth of support to families living in the city who are eligible for free school meals this October half-term.
Vouchers for fresh food will be available to collect from all the Lincoln Foodbank and the Lincoln Community Larder distribution centres. These vouchers will allow families in need to obtain fresh food from Co-op stores to supplement their foodbank food parcels.
Families with one child can receive a £5 voucher, and families with two or more children can receive two vouchers. Any funds remaining after half term will rollover to assist with a similar scheme over the Christmas holidays, unless an alternative is provided by Lincolnshire County Council or central government.
Lincoln Foodbank and the Lincoln Community Larder will also be able to process food parcels faster to anyone arriving at their distributions centres and asking for half term help by completing an on the spot referral.
Throughout the pandemic the city council have enabled schemes to provide support for those in need. This has included providing £5,000 to the Food in School Holidays Project (FiSH) ahead of government announcing support and work closely with the foodbanks in the city.
Cllr Rosanne Kirk, City of Lincoln Council’s Portfolio Holder for Reducing Inequality said: “The free school meals scheme is a lifeline to many families and is a key tool in reducing child food poverty throughout the city.
“No child, or adult, should have to go hungry, and the city council has worked at speed to create a way to provide potential hungry children with fresh food during this half term.”
Sian Wade, Co-ordinator of the Active Faith Network who are assisting the city council in delivering this scheme said: “We have partnered with the city council to create a quick and easy way for families to access food through the Foodbank and Community Larder distribution centres. You just need to turn up and quote "half term help".
“Families will receive a family food parcel as well as vouchers to spend on fresh food at their local Co-op. There is no need for anybody to go hungry during the school holidays so we encourage people to share this information. We look forward to continuing to partner together to serve the city of Lincoln.”
For more information on your nearest distribution centre and their opening times, please visit www.lincolnlarder.co.uk/ and https://lincoln.foodbank.org.uk/