When thinking about what we do, Zarach is focussed on 5 priorities:
Every Head a Bed
Every Head a Bed is our commitment to help ensure all children to have somewhere safe and comfortable to sleep with good, consistent access to healthy and nutritious food in order for them to succeed at school.
Not having regular nutritious meals at home, or not having an appropriate bed to sleep in, means that children do not have the basic foundations for healthy growth or the energy to concentrate at school and learn.
Not having regular nutritious meals at home, or not having an appropriate bed to sleep in, means that children do not have the basic foundations for healthy growth or the energy to concentrate at school and learn.
– Joseph Howes, CEO Buttle UK
Zarach believes that well rested and well-fed children are increasingly ready to learn. Engaging in education gives children the tools they need to break the cycle of poverty, help their families out of crisis and improve the breadth of opportunities available to their future selves.
But this is about more than just a bed…
We are here to bring lasting and positive change to those children growing up in the grips of poverty crisis through bed bundle deliveries, tailored support packages, raising awareness, advocating policy change and by galvanising people and resources across the UK.
Thrive
We know that a bed alone cannot break the cycle of poverty that our families face. So, our delivery is the first step of a new journey for every child and their family.
For some Zarach Families, we are uniquely placed to make a huge difference to their current circumstances. Where this has been identified, we invite them to join our Thrive pathway.
After receiving a Zarach delivery (bed bundle, food parcel or shopping service) and a text with the Thrive video link, we start the following process:
- Ask the question, “What do you need next to thrive not just survive?”
- Build a three-point Thrive Plan based on the highest leverage short-term and long-term benefits.
- Connect with our partners and other community organisations to get things moving.
Project Vantry
Many Zarach Families reached out to us as the sudden effect of COVID-19 hit our communities. The unexpected loss of income caused our families to make difficult decisions; Washing Powder or Toothpaste? Electricity or Food?
Project Vantry was created as our response to this crisis. We converted our vans into basic pantries enabling us to supply essential food and hygiene products; including high-cost items like nappies and washing powder. Throughout this time, we made additional support available to existing Zarach Families and new referrals through our school partners.
In the first 100 days of lockdown, we fed over 1,000 people.
Our emergency provision consists of two options, these are:
Box 1: Food for 7 days
This box contains the correct ratios of food to create nutritious breakfast, lunch and evening meals for 7 days. It includes a meals card outlining all the meals. This box is designed for families who have no other means of purchasing food.
Box 2: Ease the Strain
This box contains a range of essential and non-essential products and items that will hopefully ease the financial strain for a family who are struggling to make ends meet. It allows us more flexibility to include items that are available to us at any given time.
Whilst we are happy to accept repeat referrals, we do not want families to become reliant on this service. Anyone applying for a repeat delivery should include details of the services are involved and/or what actions have been taken since the last referral in order to move the family forward financially. We use this information to understand the ways we can further contribute to the support plan for each particular family.
Together, we can lighten the load.
Healthy Holidays
During the school holidays one million pupils who receive free-school meals are at risk of holiday hunger. A further two million pupils that don’t receive free-school meals, but whose parents experience in work poverty, are also at risk of holiday hunger. This doesn’t just effect children, but the whole household. With low-income parents saying they often skip meals during the school holidays to ensure they children can eat.
Zarach families are often in dire financial situations through no fault of their own and the school holidays can be a huge challenge. Making ends meet, even keeping food on the table becomes a massive pressure every holiday.
Our Healthy Holidays initiative was created to ensure Zarach families can have fun, stay active & get fed.
Zarach Healthy Holiday Lunch Club
Our Healthy Holiday Club runs 1 day each week of the school holidays. It is free and for the whole family to attend together. There are fun activities and a hot healthy meal for everyone.
Summer Camps
Zarach provides funding to enable children aged 5-11 to attend Holiday Camps run by external organisations. The cost of the camp is £50 per child for the week. This is a small price to pay to give children a new experience and help families through the holidays.
Zarach Schools
Zarach relies on schools to spot the signs of bed poverty and refer these children to us for support. However, we want our special partnerships with local schools to extend beyond referrals alone.
Zarach has already partnered with a number of local schools to offer assemblies, fundraising opportunities, bed bundle item collections, raising awareness and campaigning. If you are a school looking to partner with Zarach please email info@zarach.org
We are looking to develop our CPD and training offer in the near future.