Mary’s Meals Calls for ‘Right to Hope’ for Every Child this Christmas

This Christmas, Mary’s Meals is calling for the ‘right to hope’ for every child. Recently, the organization announced the incredible milestone of providing a nutritious meal to more than 3 million children every school day. In the new year, Mary’s Meals will present the Feed a School initiative to help bring hope to even more children through consistent school meals.

With more than 78 million primary-age children out of school—many due to hunger—Mary’s Meals is committed to expanding its community-led school feeding programs globally, grounded in the belief that ‘school + food = hope’ for children facing hunger and poverty.

The impact of Mary’s Meals is embodied in the story of Noku, a five-year-old girl from Zimbabwe who, until January this year, was malnourished and unable to walk.

Noku first arrived at Libeni Primary School, carried on her mother’s back, unable to speak, unable to feed herself, and dressed in little more than rags. Noku’s teacher recognized that she needed regular food, and thanks to the provision of a daily serving of nutritious porridge through Mary’s Meals at school, the little girl’s health improved. Today, Noku can walk independently, and she now thrives, engaging confidently with others. Supported by daily meals and access to education, Noku is on a promising path toward a brighter future.

Currently, more than 3 million children are receiving renewed hope through the provision of a daily school meal served by community volunteers. But this international school feeding charity has no intention of stopping there.

Mary’s Meals’ Chief Programs Officer Erin Pratley says, “Around the world, times are tougher than ever, and Christmas motivates us to renew our commitment to our program and its potential to reach more children. It’s also a time for us to give thanks to all those who help us deliver low-cost, community-led school feeding in areas of great need across 16 countries. Without the tens of thousands of volunteer cooks, grassroots fundraisers, supporters, partners, and major donors, this work would simply not be possible. And as we reiterate our belief that everyone can play a part in this work, we look forward to achieving even more in the fight against child hunger during 2026.”

As Mary’s Meals prepares to enter the new year, it remains committed to its vision that every child receives one daily meal in a place of education and all those who have more than they need share with those who lack even the most basic things. Through its Feed a School initiative, supporters can fund daily meals—just 13 cents per meal or $25.20 to feed one child for an entire school year—for every student in a selected school. This annual fundraising project helps transform the lives of hundreds of vulnerable children and their families.