Bulgarian Red Cross: 1,600 Children Supported under Hot Meal Programme Annually

Some 1,600 Bulgarian children receive support under the Hot Meal Programme annually, the head of the fundraising unit of the Bulgarian Red Cross (BRC), Ekaterina Borisova, told Focus Radio's Good morning, Bulgaria. 
The campaign in support of children from socially disadvantaged families is being organised for the 10th consecutive year, Borisova said. Between 7 and 12,000 children annually drop out of school for social reasons, she explained. "Through the Hot Meal Programme, besides aiming to provide healthy food to the needy and teach them habits in proper nutrition, we aim to bring them back to the classroom. Unfortunately, for some of these children a warm lunch is an incentive to attend school," said Ekaterina Borisova. Some BGN 260,000 has been raised for the campaign so far, she said. In her words, Bulgarians are becoming more open to donation, and proof of this is another long-term charity initiative of the Bulgarian Red Cross - Buy and Donate. Last year, it collected cver 22,000 kg of packaged food worth BGN 50,000.