National School Pantry Network

Aim

We’re raising £20,000 to help four schools support families with healthy food and financial wellbeing tools through school pantries.

Who are we, and what is our project about?

We’re Rethink Food  – an award-winning social enterprise that removes hunger as a barrier to learning. Our team includes former teachers and changemakers passionate about health, sustainability and equality. We launched the National School Pantry Network to give schools practical tools and funding to support struggling families. This project aligns with Aviva’s Financial Wellbeing theme by supporting families to access affordable, healthy food while building long-term confidence around budgeting, planning and food choice. Each school receives training, educational resources and access to discounted, culturally appropriate food via a local partner. It’s about restoring dignity, relieving pressure and helping families take control of their food and finances.

Why are we crowdfunding?

Food insecurity is rising, and schools are stepping in to help. But many are using their own budgets or relying on donations. With your support, we can provide four schools with the funding, training and food access they need to run pantries that work for the full academic year. This helps families make informed choices, plan their shopping, and reduce stress linked to financial instability (reducing weekly grocery costs by 30–50%, freeing up household income to spend on other essentials, bills, or savings).

With structured resources, we also help children and parents develop life skills around food, nutrition and budgeting. This is more than meals – it’s about long-term resilience.

How we’ll spend the money raised

100% of donations go directly to delivery.  £5,000 will fund food access and will cover training, admin, monitoring, and wraparound educational support for one school for a full academic year.

How you can help

There are three simple ways to get involved and support our project:

1. Make a donation

Every pledge gets us closer to our goal. Early support can help build momentum and inspire others to give too.

2. Spread the word

Share our project with friends, family and your wider network. The more people we reach, the more likely we are to succeed.

3. Volunteer with us (optional – remove if not relevant)

If you’d like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch through the ‘Contact’ section using the subject "I want to volunteer my time or expertise" on our project page.

This project successfully funded on 11th September 2025