The city council has teamed up with the surplus retailer and the food manufacturer to provide eligible families with fruit, vegetables, milk, bread and store cupboard essentials to ensure children have some breakfast, lunch and dinner options over half-term.
Families who have registered for the scheme will be able to collect food from 19 pop-up community pantries across the city.
Deputy city mayor Cllr Sarah Russell, who leads the city council’s anti-poverty agenda, said: “It’s been another tough year for everyone, but it’s been particularly difficult for families on low incomes, especially as we see fuel and food prices soaring.
“I’m therefore really pleased that we’re going to be opening up our half-term food ‘shops’ next month, which will hopefully make life a little easier for many local families. Around 14,500 children and young people in Leicester are eligible for free school meals and it’s vital that they don’t miss out on a meal when the schools are closed.”
The city council has allocated £200,000 from the Covid Household Support Grant to fund the initiative and help support the city’s most financially vulnerable families.