The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation was launched during the crisis to help alleviate hunger and provide essential supplies to people in need. They have evolved during the pandemic to a multi-faceted charity that continues to provide support to enhance well-being and improve standards of living for Northampton residents, particularly those who are faced with sudden and unexpected hardship.

TMDF were provided with a grant through the Family Food Aid Fund at the beginning of the year to provide breakfast boxes to local schools and purchase additional food bank stock. The breakfast boxes ensure that any child who missed breakfast before their school day are provided with a healthy snack. The grant also allowed them to stock-up their food-bank with other essentials they were short of to allow the organisation to pack their food packs for upcoming commitments such as half term food parcels. In February half term, TMDF provided 240 food parcels to be distributed between 53 local schools.

Founder Mrs Teresa McCarthy-Dixon said ‘Coronavirus is still causing families financial strain and there is a continuing rise in demand for our services.

‘The feedback from schools are very positive regarding the breakfast boxes as there are numerous children who go to school regularly without having anything to eat for breakfast and without these snacks these children won't have anything to eat until lunchtime. Skipping breakfast in the morning effects the children general health and wellbeing, concentration and their ability to learn.

‘We have learnt from some of the schools that we support, that children who regularly attended school without having anything for breakfast at home and struggled with the morning routine in school now enjoy a small 'breakfast club' before their first lesson and the time they need to settle in to class in the morning is significantly decreased.’