John Lewis Partnership to donate to native charities combating youngster poverty
The John Lewis Partnership is donating over £ 1 million this summer to more than 1,000 local charities and community organizations that are helping end child poverty across the UK
The John Lewis partnership has announced that it will step up efforts in support of those disproportionately affected by the pandemic by donating more than £ 1 million this summer to more than 1,000 local charities and community organizations that are helping end child poverty across the UK.
It’s part of the company’s Give a Little Love program, which aims to make a lasting difference to those in need.
A total of 2.3 million children were affected by food insecurity between March and August last year, and 850,000 children said they or their families had attended a food bank.
To address this important issue, all John Lewis and Waitrose businesses will make their regular community donations to charities in their own communities that support children in poverty. This support runs from May to July and provides vital support during the half year of May and the summer holidays when millions of children are threatened with starvation.
Support is provided through monetary donations, products (e.g. clothing or kitchen utensils) and food donations.
The John Lewis Partnership are also proud members of Marcus Rashford’s Child Food Poverty Task Force, a coalition of brands working together to end child food poverty.
Marija Rompani, Partner and Director of Ethics and Sustainability at the John Lewis Partnership, said, “No child should ever go hungry or be without basic human needs and we want to do all we can to help. By working with the many incredible charities in local communities across the country, we hope to make a real impact and help as many children as possible. “
Marcus Rashford MBE commented, “The John Lewis Partnership is a valuable founding member of the Child Food Poverty Task Force and the company has demonstrated its commitment to ending child food poverty across the UK since our inception. Give a Little Love was a powerful and touching campaign over the Christmas holidays and I am thrilled to see this campaign build on to ensure more people in need get the help they deserve. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the John Lewis Partnership for their continued support. “
The announcement is the latest in a series of initiatives we have launched to support families in need.
In addition to the donation, Waitrose stores will continue to donate excess groceries to FareShare, a food distribution charity. Since 2017, the company has donated more than five million meals to those in need. They also partner with Kitchen Social and The Felix Project to donate stocks to people affected by food insecurity.
The company’s Give a Little Love campaign has already raised over £ 3m for long-term charity partners FareShare, Home-Start and local community groups. Another £ 2 million was committed by the partnership earlier this year. The John Lewis Partnership also donated nearly 5,000 warm garments to Home-Start to be given out to families over the winter.
In February the partnership launched a new program with FareShare – Farm to Family – making it the first UK supermarket to bring surplus groceries straight from our largest suppliers and farms to the plates of those in need.
