Last week Khan announced an emergency funding package of more than £3.5m to help provide around ten million free meals during the school holidays and at weekends to low-income Londoners over the next year.
The Mayor’s one-off funding is expanding the work of the Mayor’s Fund for London and The Felix Project to help charities, schools and grassroots organisations reach hundreds of thousands of struggling families and children of all ages with free nutritious meals.
The Government’s current eligibility criteria also excludes approximately half of children in food-insecure households in London because they are not claiming or are not eligible – the Mayor is calling on Ministers to change this as a matter of urgency.
Khan, said: “It is a national disgrace that so many children are going hungry during school holidays in a country as prosperous as ours. The cost of living and food prices are continuing to rise sharply and it means that increasing numbers of families are struggling to get by.
“That’s why I have stepped forward with funding to help provide around 10m free holiday meals to hundreds of thousands of Londoners most in need over the next year, as part of my work to address the cost of living. I’m doing all I can, but we urgently need Government to do more to help those in need and ensure that every child who needs it can access meals over the holidays.”
Currently the Government only provides food for children who are eligible for free school meals through the Holiday Activities and Food Programme.
Chef Tom Kerridge added: “It's vital that children are able to access healthy and nutritious food throughout the year, but many households and families do not know how they can provide this right now due to the pressures they are facing. I'm pleased that the Mayor's free holiday meals scheme will help those who need it the most in the capital.”