100+ Organisations Join Marcus Rashford's Free School Meals Campaign
By Tom Gott
Marcus Rashford's campaign to provide food for children in low-income households during school holidays has been supported by over 100 organisations so far, as Twitter hailed the extraordinary work done by the 22-year-old Manchester United forward so far.
Rashford, who famously managed to convince the government to perform a U-turn and provide food vouchers for disadvantaged households during lockdown, saw his push for the same to happen over half-term and the winter break knocked back by the government this week.
I’ll be with @FareShareUK tomorrow to support the real superstars, our volunteers.
— Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) October 21, 2020
The food banks are in for a very tough Winter. Most are currently distributing 6 food packages per min and we are only in Oct.
To find out how you can help:https://t.co/531h85s22I
Thank you ♥️
The United man has refused to accept defeat. As well as volunteering at a local foodbank, Rashford has continued to fight his cause on social media, with many businesses from around the country offering to support his cause.
As noted by Sky News, Rashford has received the support of no less than 100 different companies, ranging from local cafes and charities to pubs and popular restaurant chains, including McDonald's.
Rashford has been sharing information from these organisations on his Twitter page, letting fans across the country know where they can find food if they need during the upcoming October half-term.
Keep going Marcus Rashford ?
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) October 23, 2020
What @MarcusRashford’s doing off the pitch as on the pitch is simply extraordinary. Fantastic talent, fantastic person. ???
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 23, 2020
Incredible work from @MarcusRashford ?
— Sevilla FC (@SevillaFC_ENG) October 23, 2020
Marcus Rashford’s timeline today is quite remarkable. His mum once struggled to feed him and now he’s helping feed millions of others ??@MarcusRashford
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) October 23, 2020
There have also been pledges of support from numerous councils around the country, with Liverpool, Greater Manchester, Birmingham and Doncaster just four of many to have joined the fight. Several London boroughs, including Lambeth, Redbridge and Hammersmith and Fulham, have offered to help too.
Despite the influx of support, the government has so far rejected appeals to extend the Free School Meals scheme over the school holidays, insisting that the responsibility of feeding one's family rests solely with the parents.
Nevertheless, Rashford has publicly insisted that he will continue to use his platform to fight for support for low-income houses, using his own childhood experiences as inspiration.
The timeline of @MarcusRashford shows what this country is truly about. People uniting to help others rather than the tribality and hatred that has torn us apart. We can have different views, political or otherwise, and still be respectful and kind. Be a mate, don’t hate. ??
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) October 23, 2020
Dr Marcus Rashford MBE, taking on the establishment and winning. pic.twitter.com/yLsN0Z9OAn
— Alexei (@MUFC_redarmy99) October 23, 2020
They thought they’d hand Rashford an MBE and he’d go back to focusing on his football with a new shiny title to his name. If anything, he’s pushed harder after it.
— Jordan Clarke (@FourFourJordan) October 23, 2020
He’s not just a credit to the club, he’s a credit to a nation led by people who don’t deserve someone like him.
"People have opinions," Rashford said (via BBC) while volunteering with FareShare. "Whether they understand fully what the families are going through is another conversation.
"Because of that, it's easy for me to dismiss a lot of the people who are making those [negative] opinions. It's so insensitive of the issue and they've definitely not been through it themselves."