Global logistics company Lineage has pledged $200,000 to help food charity FareShare deliver more than 600,000 meals to vulnerable children through the Covid-19 pandemic. They are also calling on the UK logistics industry to back FareShare’s Back to School appeal, and get even more meals out to children and young people at risk of hunger.

The donation is part of Lineage’s “Share A Meal” campaign, launched on March 23, with the goal of supplying 100 million meals globally. The campaign calls on global influencers, like-minded individuals and food chain leaders to help feed people in need, with the company committing $5m to support projects fighting hunger and food poverty around the world.

This initiative is being supported by the British Frozen Food Federation and the Cold Chain Federation. Together, they are calling on UK logistics industry to help provide meals to vulnerable children through the Covid-19 crisis and who might otherwise go without.

The donation will support FareShare’s work to secure and supply food to its UK-wide network of 11,000 grass roots charities of which over 2,500 are breakfast and after-school. Children and families have been hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis, with thousands more families facing increased financial strain, and struggling to put food on the table. For many children in poverty, a school lunch might be the only hot meal they get all day. Breakfast clubs help ensure no child has to start the day hungry, and give children the energy they need to concentrate, learn and play during the day ahead.

Mike McClendon, Lineage’s President of International Operations & EVP of Network Optimization, said: “At Lineage, we’ve built a business dedicated to shepherding food all over the world, and that experience puts us in a unique position to help overcome these challenges. We want to do our part by sharing what we have to offer – including temperature-controlled warehouse space, supply chain logistics expertise and financial resources. We are thrilled to partner with FareShare to bring our Share a Meal campaign to life by connecting those who are food insecure to the meals they need.”

Lindsay Boswell, CEO, FareShare, said: “Times have been incredibly tough for children and families across the UK, and getting healthy nutritious meals to children at risk of food poverty, hunger and malnutrition has never been more important. Breakfast clubs play a vital role in ensuring that children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds have the same chance to learn and do well in the classroom, and we are so very grateful for Lineage’s support.”

Richard Harrow BFFF chief executive said: “Lineage’s donation is generous and timely. By preserving and providing affordable food that is both nutritious and healthy, the frozen food industry has an important role to play in tackling the growing problem of hunger among vulnerable children.”

Shane Brennan, Chief Executive of the Cold Chain Federation said: “The covid-19 crisis has shown just how resilient and effective the UK cold chain is in keeping the nation fed. We strongly support this Lineage FareShare initiative that goes that step further helping to ensure that the young people that need it most have access to safe nutritious food. We will be encouraging businesses across the cold chain to get involved.”