CHARITIES and community groups across the West Midlands who help families in need can apply for funds to help feed children over the summer holidays.
Western Power Distribution (WPD) is inviting community groups and food banks to apply for a share of £500,000 available from its Community Matters Fund, which supports community initiatives and good causes.
The fund aims to support a wide range of activities and services that provide immediate intervention for families during the school holidays.
This could include the distribution of food parcels as well as funding for holiday clubs that provide free meals.
Projects that provide longer term support, such as cookery classes and budget management, will also be eligible.
Groups can get up to £2,500 to help with projects they have to help families over the school holidays.
WPD’s resources and external affairs director, Alison Sleightholm, said: “We sadly know that during the summer holiday period, some children go hungry because they miss their free school meals.
“We also understand that parents may struggle to meet increased care costs while they are at work and often skip meals to enable their children to eat.
“As a company committed to supporting our communities, we strongly believe that we have a pressing obligation to support our young people and their families and, where we can, tackle holiday hunger this summer.
“No child should go hungry over the school holiday period, and we hope to support as many groups, organisations and food banks as possible with the latest round of our community funding.”
WPD say it’s estimated there were 3.9 million children living in poverty in the UK in 2020-21, and an increasing number of children could be facing holiday hunger this summer as families struggle to make ends meet in the face of the rising cost of living.
The deadline for applications is June 14.
For more information and to apply click here.
