Parents/caregivers

How shame creates a barrier for people in food poverty

Nora (41), a single mother of three children (aged 2, 6, and 11), faces the challenges of financial uncertainty. Despite her income, she has to be creative with her limited budget for her children. Nora says, ‘The last 4-5 days of the month are tight. At that point, I check how much money is left and what I still need. I have to shop very consciously. Despite financial difficulties, Nora remains positive and finds creative solutions to make ends meet. For example, she makes a weekly menu and actively looks for special offers. “Nine times out of ten, the kids still find the crisis meals the tastiest,” Nora says with a laugh.

Students thank MPs for continuing school meals

Belle de Jong, a student at Pleysier College The Hague, handed over a large ‘thank you board’ to Members of Parliament on behalf of 350,000 fellow students. Thanks to their efforts, the School Meals Programme continues.

How a Heart Attack Brought Amparo’s Family into Food Insecurity

Amparo de Bruijn-Wols (35) and her family were thriving. With a flourishing business, they felt they could conquer the world together. But when her husband ended up in the hospital due to a heart attack, everything collapsed. Amparo had to file for bankruptcy for the company. “Suddenly, we had a gap of 1,500 euros per month.” The family – with three children – faced significant financial problems due to the father’s health, but they couldn’t find any place to get help: “We were always left out because we didn’t meet all the conditions,” Amparo explains. It became increasingly difficult to provide the children with enough and varied food to take to school. “Your children come first, no matter what. But you are constantly trying to piece things together and fill gaps to feed them.”

School meals will continue

Now that the Budget Memorandum has been presented on Prinsjesdag, we know for sure: school meals will go ahead! The budget includes a structural allocation of 135 million euros for school meals. “This is fantastic news for the 350,000 children for whom school meals make the difference between sitting in class hungry or not,” says Hans Spekman, director of the Youth Education Fund, which runs the School Meals Programme together with the Dutch Red Cross. “School meals contribute to increasing equal opportunities, reducing (child) poverty, and promoting a healthy lifestyle among children. Fortunately, the politicians see this too.”

350,000 children show through drawings: continue with school meals.

A mosaic of children’s drawings forming a plate of food adorns the back of today’s Algemeen Dagblad. In the full-page advertisement, 350,000 children urge politicians to continue with school meals. Time is running out to prevent children from sitting in class hungry. Although most schools have resumed and the government programme is about to be presented, it is still unclear whether the School Meals Programme will continue after December 2024. Students, parents, and teachers are very concerned and participated en masse in a drawing campaign initiated by the Youth Education Fund.