News item | 30-03-2023 | 12:26
For the next four years, the cabinet will award a total of 15.8 million euros in subsidies to Stichting Voedselvangnet for the purchase of food and other items such as clothing, school supplies and personal care products. The money also finances activities and campaigns aimed at combating poverty, specifically among children. The cabinet is also reserving resources for the Dutch Red Cross for food aid and is making two million euros available to combat menstrual poverty. With these resources, the Poverty Fund can expand the number of distribution points of free menstrual products from 1500 to 2500.
Minister Schouten for Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions reports this in a letter to the House of Representatives.
Minister Carola Schouten: “Groceries have become considerably more expensive in the past year. This applies to food, of course, but also to clothing, school supplies or sanitary towels. As a result, we see that more people turn to the food bank and this subsidy helps to provide them with the necessary products. In addition, we also allocate money to tackle underlying problems – such as debt or loneliness – and thus give people more opportunities. And we specifically allocate money to help women and girls who cannot afford essential menstrual products.”
The subsidy to Stichting Voedselvangnet, which purchases and supplies food to food banks, comes from the European Social Fund (ESF+) and runs until 2027. This is the first time that the government has used European resources for food aid. The budget for the Poverty Fund and the Red Cross was made available at the request of the House of Representatives and comes from national resources. The money for the Red Cross goes to food aid and material aid to people who are not eligible for support from the food banks or who do not know the route to aid sufficiently.