Restaurant Associates, part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, will be supplying ingredients to enable over 4,000 vulnerable inner-city children and their families to enjoy a festive feast on Christmas Day. In addition, Restaurant Associates will also be supplying and hand-packing over 2,500 food hampers that will reach 7,500 people during the festive period; this is also being supported by guest services business, Rapport.
James Boyle, managing director of Restaurant Associates said: “Through our special relationship with Kids Company we have seen firsthand the huge impact they have on vulnerable inner-city children and their families, particularly over the festive period.
“Having seen how appreciative Kids Company was of our support last Christmas, we are proud to be supporting them again this year hand-packing over 2,500 festive food hampers and providing all of the food and catering suppliers for the annual festive feast on Christmas day.
“I’d like to thank everyone from Restaurant Associates and Rapport that have helped make this happen this year and look forward to strengthening our support for Kids Company and its work in 2015.”
Camila Batmanghelidjh, founder and CEO of Kids Company said: “When you are left alone on Christmas Day, the most painful shame takes over. No family or friend to turn to on a day when everyone is gathered together. It is for the children, young people and traumatised carers who are terrified of Christmas that we open on Christmas Day at Kids Company.
“It's a joyful, mad, ramshackle day enriched by the generosity of complete strangers and the hospitality of companies such as Restaurant Associates and Rapport that help us provide enough food so that no one goes hungry. On the 25th of December we bring together those who have needs and those who can meet them in one big celebration.”
Kids Company provides practical, emotional and educational support to vulnerable inner-city children. Its services reach over 36,000 children across London and Bristol, including 18,000 of the most deprived and at risk whose parents are unable to care for them due to their own practical and emotional challenges.