Education, care and housing
Poverty: school meals and support that really reaches people
Carla kept drawing attention to children who go to school on an empty stomach and to families who cannot find their way to support. She asked how parents learn that their children can eat at school, and tabled motions to make information on poverty support and financial help clearer.
What Carla did
Council
General debate: “queues at food banks keep getting longer, and it is heartbreaking that there are children who still don’t know how they will get through this year on an empty stomach.”
Council
On the spring budget: “we have food banks but what we really need are food drops”, and the food cooperative from Noord across the rest of the city.
Committee
On the Children’s Council advice on poverty, Carla asked how parents learn through their GP and baby clinic that their children can eat at school. In her answer, Alderman Moorman mentioned one million euros a year, providing meals at forty schools; she called Carla’s question about reach “a fair question”.
Motion
Motions 437 (a clear overview of poverty support schemes) and 425 (information on free financial education), both with Carla as lead sponsor: adopted. Moorman praised her work.
Motion
Motions 489 and 579 (Kabamba): affordable special food for people with food allergies, such as baby formula. Rejected.
Committee
On the poverty monitor: housing and food are under pressure and many services do not reach everyone. She called for an outreach drive with community figures.