NGO that gives meals to schoolkids in need will deliver to homes amid pandemic

Two charities have joined forces to ensure that deprived children who usually receive nutritious breakfasts at school will continue to receive meals and food packages while confined to their homes because of the coronavirus.

NEVET is a non-profit organization which distributes some 1.3 million breakfasts a year to more than 9,000 needy pupils at 130 schools across 46 Israeli municipalities during the morning break. The wholemeal sandwich rolls, stuffed with high protein fillings such as cheeses, tuna, hummus, tahini, olives and pickles, are aimed at ensuring a nutritious and fortifying boost that will take pupils through to the end of the school day. For some, it is the only decent food they will get.

NEVET has now linked up with Leket Israel (its original founding organization — it is now independent) to deliver hot meals and food boxes to the homes of families whose children are in the NEVET breakfast program.

School principals in the program are contacting pupils directly and identifying those in need of support. The distribution will be coordinated with the students’ families and distributed by volunteers provided by the relevant local authorities.

Each family will receive two boxes containing 12 prepackaged hot meals as well as a box of rolls and spreads for breakfast and dinner.

Rotem Yosef-Giladi, the director of NEVET, said, “This is a challenging time and it is forcing us to find alternate ways to help these children. This crisis means not just that the children are out of school but that as a result they are being deprived of their regular source of nutrition. With our partnership with Leket Israel, we are able to provide hot meals and food essentials that reach both the children and their families who we know are all in need.”

During the first phase of the project, food will be distributed to several hundred families in the center of the country. Other locations will be added as donations allow.

Leket Israel, the national food rescue organization, collects surplus food to distribute to needy people through 200 organizations. Under the current coronavirus restrictions, it has begun delivering meals directly to homebound seniors throughout the country.

Gidi Kroch, CEO of Leket Israel, said, “It’s heartwarming to see the levels of cooperation that come about out of crisis that allow us to help those in need. The partnership will allow for a more complete solution to families who are used to eating in a particular setting, like soup kitchens or schools, that have now had to close because of the crisis. We are doing everything in our power to adjust ourselves to these new regulations and help reduce the hardships that this situation is having on the needy.”