TESCO Ireland has “marked the millionth” healthy meal delivered to DEIS schools across Ireland as part of its Stronger Starts programme.
Three Limerick schools are supported by the scheme. St Mary’s Boys School in Abbeyfeale, St Mary’s National School, on Bishop Street in Limerick City, and Presentation Primary School on Sexton Street all receive packs containing fresh apples, onions, potatoes, and carrots every week.
Stronger Starts is a community support programme from Tesco that helps to build thriving communities nationwide by providing children in 117 DEIS schools across Ireland with food packs.
Within the one million meals that have been provided to date, over 4.5 million pieces of fruit and vegetables have been delivered to schoolchildren.
Stronger Starts began as a pilot programme in partnership with The Good Grub Initiative in November 2021, providing 1,000 food parcels per week to children across 40 DEIS schools.
The number of weekly packs has since tripled to 3,000 across 117 DEIS schools, with Tesco setting, and reaching, the ambitious goal of delivering one million meals by May 2023.
Speaking about the initiative, Rosemary Garth, Tesco Ireland Communications Director, said: “We are honoured to have delivered one million meals to children and families in need across Ireland, with the help of our fantastic suppliers, partners and colleagues. We’re grateful to be ‘marking the millionth’ after accelerating our ambition last year and increasing the number of families receiving a fresh food pack.”
“Children need to be fed to enable concentration at school, and from speaking to school principals and home school liaison officers, we know the difference Stronger Starts is making in support of that, and for children’s health, more broadly. With Stronger Starts, our aim is to help make a positive change within our communities, and we’re looking forward to continuing to do that long past this fantastic one million mark,” she concluded.
