Solidarity Helping Hand has reopened applications for its Lunchbox Project, in response to numerous requests from nursery schools to be included in the scheme.
Helping Hand will already feed more than 4 000 preschoolers from July until the end of the school year through this project.
“After the project kicked off at the beginning of the month, a large number of schools requested to be included,” said Michelle Burger, project organiser for Helping Hand.
“The majority of nursery schools who are part of this project do not receive a state subsidy of any kind and have to feed the children out of their own, limited funds.
“In cases where schools do receive a state subsidy, it is not enough to enable them to provide proper nutrition to the children.”
Burger said the period for applications has been extended to August 8, to give nursery schools the opportunity to join the project.
“Schools are evaluated according to specific criteria and have to meet certain requirements, such as being registered with the Department of Social Development,” she added.
Nursery schools that want to apply for inclusion in the Lunchbox Project can download the application form from Helping Hand’s website, at www.helpendehand.co.za.
Helping Hand will, in the meantime, provide food and training at the nursery schools that have already been approved.
Helping Hand provides non-perishable products to the schools, to ensure that the children get at least one cooked meal a day.
“For many of the children this is their only meal for the day,” said Burger.
Thanks to partners and food suppliers that use every rand optimally, Helping Hand can feed a pre-school child for R5 a day.
“We originally estimated that we’d need about 320 000 meals in order to feed the toddlers up to the end of their school year.
“It now seems that the number of meals will be a lot higher,” said Burger.
“We appeal to the public to contribute to the project by sending the word ‘bord’ to 36930 at R5 per SMS, thereby sponsoring a meal for a hungry preschooler.
“The more meals that are sponsored, the more tummies can be filled.”
