The Home Office and Charitable Trusts provide more funding for Food Vouchers

KidsOut have secured another round of funding from the Home Office and various Charitable Trusts to provide £25 supermarket vouchers to families living in refuge.

During the first lockdown, we received a grant of £130,000 from The Home Office enabling us to send 5,200 families a £25 supermarket vouchers from July – October. The feedback we received was overwhelming and made it clear that access to foodbanks or free school meals is sparse. Over March and April 2020, we also received a generous donation from Direct Line Group to provide £50 worth of food vouchers to 3,200 families.

The Home Office have granted KidsOut £113,825, and with other Charitable Trust grants we will be able to provide:

• 1,300 families with a £25 food voucher in December 2020
• 1,300 families with a £25 food voucher in January 2021
• 1,300 families with a £25 food voucher in February 2021
• 1,300 families with a £25 food voucher in March 2021

With the third lockdown in place and some refuge staff being placed on furlough it is difficult for families to leave and grab basic essentials for fear of being found by their abuser. KidsOut is continuing to focus its support on those requiring the greatest assistance with our recent feedback reporting relief of poverty, improved physical health, and reduced levels stress in the family unit.

‘The women in our Refuge had the sad news yesterday that we will be going into Tier 4 and they will have to cancel their Christmas plans. They had no food or money to get Christmas food as they were not expecting to be spending the day at the refuge, these vouchers have come at a time when the women and children were really low. They have decided to all put vouchers together so it will enable them to buy a Christmas Dinner and intend eating and sharing the food on the day. We really can’t thank you enough for all the support you have shown our organisation during this difficult year.’ – Refuge Worker

These additional rounds are intended to support those we have identified as most in-need, meaning they are in a refuge lacking either support from local foodbanks and/or free school meal vouchers. As shown through the numbers of families requiring support between July and October, the demand from refuges for food vouchers has remained high and we expect this to continue for the foreseeable future.

‘One child stated he felt so lucky he could go to Tesco with mum and choose any special Christmas sweets he wanted, Which I know made mum feel so good she was able to provide this extra treat for him.’ – Refuge Worker

KidsOut would like to thank The Home Office and Charitable Trusts for their help. Every penny donated will go towards the purchase of more food vouchers.