Newark Salvation Army Steps Up Support for Families Facing Summer Holiday Pressures
Toasties Café offers free meals, activities, and help for famillies missing out on free school meals
Families in Newark who are feeling the pressure of rising costs during the school holidays are being offered extra help thanks to the Salvation Army’s Toasties Café.
The café, open every Tuesday at Mead Way throughout August, is providing free toasties and activities for children, while a youth club on Thursdays serves up a free hot meal.
Captain Sarah O’Grady from the Salvation Army says the initiative is about much more than just a good lunch.
“Because we were meeting families who throughout the summer were struggling,” Sarah explains.
“Children who were usually getting free school meals were not getting that through the summer."
"Families were needing to start paying out more money during the summer holidays.”
She adds, “You’ve got some families whose parents are working, then they have the increased cost of childcare. The families who have parents that are not working with a lower income, suddenly having to find entertainment for their children."
"Things for kids are not cheap to take children to activities. And if you’ve got multiple children, suddenly the cost is rising, needing to provide food and snacks for the children. It all adds up really quickly.”
Alongside the café and youth club, the Salvation Army also helps to connect families with wider support if they are struggling.
“We go beyond just what we do at Toasties. So if a family comes in and we know that they’re struggling, if they share with us that it’s particularly difficult, then we can signpost them to other services,” says Sarah.
The Toasties Café offers a welcoming space for families to enjoy affordable food, free activities, and a chance to connect with others during the summer break.