Municipality of Porto ensures more than 150 meals a day to students during school break

Summer vacations and the respective school break can bring some constraints for those who do not have the much needed family background or that are in need of keeping meal services even during the academic pause for vacations. Thus, students can still have access to meals – lunches and snacks – under the initiative “Escola Solidária” (Solidarity School”, free translation], by the Municipality of Porto, which ensures in-person or take-away services. Those who wish to benefit from the measures, need to apply at their respective school or school group.

Until 31 August, school canteens of the Municipality of Porto ensure meal supply to the students that need this service even during the holiday break. In July, this service is ensured in both modalities: in-person or take away, but in August it is only available in the take-away format.

The “Escola Solidária” initiative outlining goal is to make sure children that attend kindergartens and first grade schools are supported during school breaks, be it summer holidays, Christmas and Easter periods, with the necessary nutritionally-balanced meals, which include lunch and snacks.

Students that are granted social support type A are granted free meal service; support type B includes meal service at 0,73 euros; and students who get social support type C, are charged the amount of 1,46 euros per meal (lunch and snack). Moreover, students who have brothers aged between 3 and 10 years old, can benefit from this support even if they don’t attend any educational institution within the public Porto School network.

Last year, the summer holiday period, which occurred between 26 June and 31 August, this social action served 4.728 lunches and 4.700 snacks. This year, there are 151 enrolled students and the estimated number of lunches and snacks to provide is 3.610 and 3.610 respectively.