Tesco Ireland announced a new pilot programme Stronger Starts that will give thousands of meals to feed children and families across Ireland. Stronger Starts, in partnership with the Good Grub Initiative,will provide 1,000 families per week with free nutritious food packages containing potatoes, carrots, onions, and apples, to support them in preparing healthy meals at home. Good Grub is a not-for-profit initiative that has, since the start of the Covid pandemic, delivered nutritious fruit & veg parcels directly to the families of a number of DEIS school children around Ireland. During the pilot, home school community liaison officers in over 40 DEIS schools will identify families who may need supplemental support at home this winter.
Tesco began partnering with the Good Grub Initiative as a pilot programme in November 2021 and the pilot campaign which will run until February will see Tesco provide the equivalent of over 120,000 thousand meals to families most in need in communities around Ireland. As part of the campaign, Tesco has teamed up with GAA star Philly McMahon and Local Hero Katie to launch the campaign. Tesco will also release a compelling video content series to demonstrate how healthy and nutritious food is the best ingredient in any recipe.
‘Stronger Starts’ is the latest community support programme from Tesco, all of which are helping to build thriving communities across Ireland. Tesco Ireland was the first national retail partner of FoodCloud in 2014, and working with them has, to date, redistributed the equivalent of 15 million meals to nearly 400 charitable groups in communities all over Ireland – from breakfast clubs, to ’Meals on Wheels’, to community kitchens and food banks. Once the pilot is complete in February, Tesco and the Good Grub Initiative will review and refine the programme with the aim of reaching more children and families across Ireland.
For more information on Tesco Ireland’s commitment to communities nationwide, visit TescoIreland.ie
