Christian charities join forces to fill holiday hunger gap

Make Lunch and TLG (Transforming Lives for Good) are have come together as a new charity called TLG Make Lunch.

Its goal is to find more ways of providing for those who are eligible for free school meals but go hungry when school is not in session.

Tim Morfin, Chief Executive of TLG, told Premier the need is overwhelming.

He told Premier at the launch event of the partnership: “There are 1.7 million kids in receipt of free school meals and the question is “what happens to those kids when that food provision is taken away”?

“Research says one in three parents will skip a meal during the holiday time in order to provide food for their kids.”
TLG Make Lunch believes the key to solving problem lies within local churches. Its hosts lunch clubs in churches during the holidays.

Merle Baker has been running one in her church in Romford for five years.

“We pray, we have a series on a character in the Bible we’ll work on, there’s music, they do crafts, the make smoothies, we take them to the park, and they come home to a good hot meal,” she said.

Parents said the lunch clubs mean a lot more than just a meal. Monifa Cumberbatch, brings her children to the club and volunteers. She told Premier the loving Christian environment makes a big difference.

“I get to see my kids during the…