Food voucher scheme launched to support Jewish schoolchildren over holidays

PaJeS, the Jewish schools network, is to help financially struggling families by providing food vouchers over the summer holidays.

It has secured funding from the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation to alleviate food poverty which is set to benefit up to 1,200 children from 41 primary and secondary schools across the religious spectrum.

Pupils who are registered for free school meals will be eligible for the vouchers.

Economic pressures on families caused by the pandemic have been exacerbated by the cost of living crisis with inflation now over 9 per cent.

After introducing a similar voucher scheme during the Covid outbreak, PaJeS said it believed that the initiative would help with the extra cost of food bills over the holidays.

Rabbi David Meyer, executive director of PaJeS, said, “School holidays are traditionally a time of fun and relaxation for families. However, for those facing financial difficulties it can be a particularly taxing time. This is especially true at this time with the impacts of Covid and such a troublesome economic climate.”