Mary's Meals USA

Mary's Meals International is a successful global movement that transforms the lives of chronically poor children with a simple meal. Working collaboratively with local communities, Mary's Meals International establishes school feeding programs that attract poor children into the classroom, where they receive an education that can free them from a lifetime of poverty. The Mary's Meals program supports not only the children, but also has a positive impact on their households and communities.Sourcing food locally whenever possible, Mary's Meals International operates in some of the world's poorest, and most remote or conflict-ridden communities. At the end of 2023, Mary's Meals programs were feeding (please see page 38 for more information) 2,429,182 children every school day across 18 countries. The collaborative Mary's Meals school feeding program is particularly efficient and scalable, providing a model that is a sustainable means to end world hunger. Mary's Meals USA provides grants to Mary's Meals International to fund the school feeding programs.During 2023, Mary's Meals responded to several crises in countries where it conducts school feeding programs. After Cyclone Freddy hit Malawi and caused catastrophic flash floods throughout February and March 2023, Mary's Meals adapted to help those in need. Mary's Meals served daily meals to 24,000 displaced people sheltering in some of Mary's Meals program schools across seven districts during March and April. Many of those being served in the shelters were children, who would normally participate in the Mary's Meals school feeding program. During this time, Mary's Meals also maintained the school feeding program as normal in other parts of the country.Following the earthquake that struck northern and western Syria in February of 2023, Mary's Meals was quick to respond. Within hours of the earthquake striking, Mary's Meals local partner was able to deliver life-saving food aid to thousands of people in the city of Aleppo. As the crisis developed, this expanded to delivering additional and essential support to families and children. As well as providing feeding for two months for 7,000 families housed in temporary accommodation, Mary's Meals also provided summer holiday feeding for children in schools where "catch-up" classes for children were held, benefiting approximately 1,000 children on a daily basis.In Tigray, Mary's Meals continues to work in partnership with a local partner to respond to the dire need that is the result of a recently ended civil war coupled with drought. Throughout 2023 Mary's Meals supported the local in-country partner in providing community food distributions and providing essential staples to those families in the greatest need. In October 2023, Mary's Meals resumed school feeding programs for approximately 10,000 children across 14 schools. In the months following resumption of school feeding, the program was expanded to other areas of Tigray. School meals remain vital for families as they begin a long road to recovery and the promise of a daily meal in a place of education continues to help to bring stability for children, who have endured unimaginable trauma and hunger. At the end of 2023, Mary's Meals was reaching over 45,000 children in the Tigray region across 59 schools.In 2023, Mary's Meals conducted an in-depth research study to assess the impact of the organization's school feeding model. Approximately, 3,100 children were surveyed to evaluate the impact of daily school meals on reducing hunger, improving school attendance and ultimately progression in school. Key findings from the study demonstrate the positive impact of the Mary's Meals school feeding program: - 74% of children stated that they felt hungry before the meal was served. This dropped to 1% after the meal was served. - Only 1% stated that they missed school due to hunger (of 1,507 children who reported missing school for various reasons). - 84% of children never leave school early due to hunger. - 36% of children felt that they could concentrate well before the meal was served. This increased to 98% after the meal was served.Mary's Meals International works in countries that faced a variety of significant issues including conflict, the effects of climate change and increasing costs of food. Combined, these challenges negatively impact local communities and children in particular. The work of Mary's Meals International demonstrates the organization's commitment to provide services where they are needed most. Mary's Meals USA remains thankful for the support received from donors in the United States, which enables the Mary's Meals International programs that are transformative for the children, their families and their local communities.

Mary's Meals USA also focuses on education and awareness raising programs in the US on the impact of child hunger and the importance of school feeding programs. This awareness-raising program portion of the work allows the opportunity for more US volunteers to join Mary's Meals and become advocates for children in poverty. Staff and volunteers visit schools, groups, and organizations to give presentations about the work of Mary's Meals. Mary's Meals USA provides documentary films, brochures, and other materials to support these efforts. Regular emails and letters are sent to those who have requested updates so the information can be shared in their communities.