Lidl has pledged to give £100,000 to families struggling at the hands of the coronavirus outbreak.
The supermarket today announced it will help put food on the table of those most affected by Covid-19, such as the elderly and families who need help during the newly announced school closures.
The money will go to its partnership with charity Neighbourly as part of the Covid-19 Emergency Community Fund.
It follows the government’s announcement that schools will close from Friday 20 March 2020, affecting millions of families across the country.
According to government statistics, three million children are at risk of going hungry while they are out of school - two million of whom are ineligible for free school meals but are growing up in households in in-work poverty.
Christian Härtnagel, boss of Lidl G, said: "We are living in unprecedented times, and it’s essential that we look after those who need it most – that’s why our 'Feed it Back' scheme with Neighbourly is more important than ever.
"Through our store connections, and through this additional donation, we are able to directly support groups who are out in our communities doing an exceptional job of looking after the most vulnerable."
Steve Butterworth, at Neighbourly, added: "Now more than ever, communities need to come together and support each other.
"That's why we've created a new Covid-19 Community Support Fund, to help our business partners channel funds into helping the most vulnerable groups, including elderly people and families that will need extra support over the coming months."
