The Good Grub Initiative

THE GOOD GRUB INITIATIVE, BECAUSE SCHOOL CHILDREN IN DISADVANTAGED AREAS NEED YOUR HELP…NOW.

ABOUT US

Good Grub is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to delivering nutritious fruit & veg parcels directly to the families of DEIS school children around Ireland. DEIS is a national programme that addresses the needs of children and young adults in disadvantaged communities.

A REAL NEED – Although government school food programmes do exist, the ‘GoodGrub’ team spotted the need to supplement these deliveries with vital, fresh fruit & veg parcels to help address the growing problem of ‘nutritional poverty’. To date we have delivered over 125,000 packs, representing over 1 million meals. With the support of the existing DEIS school lunch suppliers, we continue to provide these weekly family food packs. Because of the massive challenge facing us all with the current spread of Covid-19, the likelihood is that we will be fighting this pandemic for some time to come. It is imperative that we continue to support these families in desperate need.

Every euro donated by you goes directly to making this happen.

OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH TESCO

We are delighted to announce that following a successful pilot programme which commenced in November 2021, TESCO through their ‘Stronger Starts’ programme, are committed to continue and grow their support for the initiative, helping us to deliver even more fresh fruit and veg packs to those most in need. With the support of their partners, Keelings, Country Crest and Dole, this programme will have provided over one million meals through DEIS schools around Ireland by the end of May 2023.

Awareness of their support will be driven by a nationwide advertising campaign running for the duration of the programme.

The campaign will then continue throughout the remainder of the school calendar year, supporting even more families.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

At the start of this crisis, 5 tonne of fresh mixed veg was generously donated by Begley’s Fresh Produce to the O’Reilly family who took it upon themselves to make up over 1,000 family parcels. These were then loaded into the back of a van and delivered to DEIS schools who distributed to the families in need. Spotting that the need was far greater, “Good Grub” initiative was set up to support more families on a continuous weekly basis until this crisis ends.

OUR TARGET IS €1,000,000

Thanks to the remarkable generosity of your donations, we have delivered over 125,000 nutritious fruit & veg parcels but we need to do more.
We are very aware that times are hard at present and finding the money to donate to a cause like this is challenging.
But we would continue to appeal to you to spare whatever you can for this vital cause.
Any donation, however small will make a real difference in these families lives.

A donation of €10

Provides 2 families with a week’s supply of fresh fruit and veg

A Donation of €40

Provides 2 families with a month’s supply of fresh fruit and veg

A Donation of €120

Provides 6 families with a month’s supply of fresh fruit and veg

€500,000 raised…

Provides 25,000 families with a month’s supply of fresh fruit and veg

MAKE A DONATION

CORPORATE

Stephen and his two sisters go to school in inner city Dublin. They live with three other siblings and their parents in a tiny flat near the local hospital where their Dad works as a porter. A frontline worker, he provides their only income. Because the area they live in is overrun with drug dealers and desperate users, they are afraid. They rarely go out. His two older siblings are at college now, an achievement their Mam and Dad are so proud of. Despite their lack of space, room is always made for them to study. This is a happy and close family of eight who struggle everyday. The toughest problem that they’ll admit to is, putting food on the table. Just food.

The family avail of regular food parcels from the school, consisting of own-brand products, largely tinned non-perishable goods. As others stock up on fresh produce, this is not a luxury afforded to Stephen and his family, they rely solely on the contents of the packs provided.
Everything they get from this fund will be used and spread as thinly as possible. There is no waste in this house. Not food.
While the children worry about school and college, (they can’t access remote learning and the older siblings used to go to the local library for free wifi when doing their assignments), the parents are worried about the basics, food.

Stephen and his five siblings can’t engage in remote schooling because they don’t have wifi but they are doing their very best with what books they have. School is very important but very hard when children are hungry. There is only one priority here. Food.

While Stephen’s story is a sobering one, it is not unique as this fate is shared by many families across Dublin and Ireland.
(The name of the child is changed but the story is real, as told by a DEIS School Principal).

Family Story image courtesy of Abigail Grull – Unsplash.com

CHARITY PARTNERS

Aisling Project is an After School Intervention organisation working throughout the community of Ballymun. They currently operate over five after-school centres across the area, working with over 140 children and young people from the ages of 7 to 16+ years. Aisling Project provides a safe and secure environment for all attending children and young people.

They have always been inspired by a vision of love, care and support for each child and young person and it is the focus of everything they do. Aisling Project provides a wide range of ever expanding activities all in a welcoming, safe, caring and fun-filled environment. (Registered Charity Number CHY 14774).

We would also like to acknowledge the tremendous support that we have received from the team at Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) who have been an invaluable resource, and the highly committed Home School Community Liaison Coordinators (HSCL) who ensured the smooth delivery of this initiative across the country.

SUPPLY PARTNER

An Irish family business, Glanmore Foods are leaders in the supply of fresh, nutritious foods to our schoolchildren. They supply over 400 schools in the country, providing 50,000 well balanced school lunches daily.

Glanmore Foods is procuring fresh fruit and veg product from their suppliers, packing and distributing to DEIS Schools Families via DEIS Schools. Every euro raised fund these vital fruit & veg parcels

Everyone involved in Good Grub is participating on a completely voluntary basis and is receiving no remuneration or other personal advantage in return.

Advisory Group

CREATIVE/MEDIA PARTNERS

VOLUNTEERS

Angela O'Reilly

Terri Cullinane

Charlie O'Reilly

David O'Reilly

Luke O'Reilly

Philip Airey

Harry Begley

John F. Burke

Corporate Donors

FUNDING AND RESOURCE

STATUS & STRUCTURE

The Good Grub initiative is exclusively targeted at supporting these DEIS School Families in various disadvantaged areas around Ireland.

All financial matters are being independently audited by Francis Brophy & Company. Our Charity Partner is Aisling Project and we follow their charity guidelines throughout this project.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Good Grub initiative is a not-for profit initiative developed to deliver nutritious fruit & veg parcels directly to families of disadvantaged school children in Ireland. These children attend what are known as DEIS schools. DEIS is a national programme that addresses the needs of children and young adults in disadvantaged communities.

The Good Grub initiative is exclusively targeted at supporting these DEIS School Families in various disadvantaged areas of Ireland until such time as the COVID-19 emergency is brought under control.

The Good Grub initiative will be maintained by an experienced group of professionals, ensuring best practice for the duration.

Ross Lewis Coddle

Katie's potato and carrot fritters

Philly's competition day noodles

Philly's bolognese

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Download Recipe

CONTACT

ADDRESS:
Good Grub
14 Lower Albert Road
Sandycove
County Dublin
A96N6K1
Ireland

GENERAL ENQUIRIES:
hello@goodgrub.ie

CORPORATE DONATIONS:
corporatedonations@goodgrub.ie