The importance of food vouchers. At Faith in Families, we believe no child should face the school holidays hungry. Yet for many families in Swansea and across South Wales, the long summer break brings added pressure, especially in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis that continues to push household budgets to breaking point.
When schools close, so do free school meals, leaving some parents with the worry of how to stretch already tight finances to cover extra meals at home. For families already living in poverty, this can mean choosing between food, heating, or other essentials, an impossible decision no one should have to make.
Food Vouchers = Hope
That’s why, when the opportunity arose to access COAST and Summer Holiday Funding this July, our team acted fast. Thanks to the incredible work of our Team, we were able to secure £6,900 worth of food vouchers and get them into the hands of families before the school gates closed for the summer.
In addition to this we secured further £2160 in funding for our Meals in a bag project. We will be distributing 108 bags of food during the school holidays to help support families to make a healthy and tasty meal. The bags come with a recipe and a budgeting form.
The turnaround was quick, but the impact will support many families throughout the holidays. The vouchers and food bags mean more than just meals—they mean parents can relax knowing their children will be fed, families can enjoy time together without constant financial stress, and children can start the new school term nourished, happy, and ready to learn.
Why It Matters
The need for support like this has never been greater. Rising food prices, increasing energy bills, and ongoing economic uncertainty are hitting families hard, particularly those already struggling to make ends meet. At Faith in Families, we see this reality every day through our Community Cwtches, our Cwtch Mawr Multibank, and our specialist support projects.
We work with hundreds of families each year, offering everything from one-to-one outreach and parenting support to therapeutic sessions for children and practical essentials like clothing, bedding, and school kits through our Cwtch Mawr multibank. This emergency food voucher initiative is just one example of how we adapt quickly to meet urgent needs in our community.
It’s More Than Just Support It’s a Hug When It’s Needed Most
Our tagline, Hugs Not Handouts, is at the heart of everything we do. These vouchers weren’t just a transaction; they were a message to families:
You’re not alone. We see you, we care, and we’re here to help.
This summer, over £8,000 worth of food vouchers and food carried that message into kitchens, lunchboxes, and dinner tables across Swansea. It’s a reminder that when we work together, as funders, charities, and communities, we can make sure no child is left hungry, even during the hardest times.
