Problem addressed

Problem: Child poverty leads to food insecurity, affecting children’s concentration, wellbeing and participation at school; schools often lack resources and community support to provide food assistance sustainably.
Target groups: Pupils experiencing poverty-related food insecurity; schools and school staff; local citizens, organisations and companies willing to support.

Innovative solution

a. What we do: Support schools to set up a food-support solution that fits their context and activate a local network of supporters to make it feasible and sustainable.

b. Why it is innovative: It normalises support without stigma through school-based, context-specific solutions and shared community responsibility, enabling quick set-up and sustainable local support.

c. Who is involved: Enchante vzw as cradle organisation; participating schools; local supporters (citizens, NGOs, companies, municipalities). Key contact: Kim Swyngedouw (Coordinator, Enchante vzw).

d. How it works (methodology): School identifies need and chooses a fitting support model (e.g., breakfast cupboard). Brooddoosnodig provides guidance, tools and communication support. A local network is mobilised to contribute resources (food, funds, volunteering). The school operates the support discreetly and monitors use and needs.

Key results and benefits

Outputs: 230 schools supported; 22 cities involved, over 90 000 pupils sensibilised, + 279 000 lunchboxes filled since 2021, 4 long term partnerships with companies (Lidl, Colruyt Group Foundation, Mulder, Strategica Outcomes: improved pupil wellbeing and readiness to learn; reduced stigma; strengthened school-community ties. Impact measurement: to be completed with indicators (e.g., uptake, teacher observations, wellbeing proxies).

Potential for mainstreaming

Scale via school networks and municipalities; provide a toolkit and light-touch coaching; build partnerships with food suppliers and local foundations. Conditions: school leadership buy-in, safeguarding and privacy protocols, reliable local supporter base, and a coordinator to sustain the network