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Mary's Meals is a Scottish charity that provides meals for schoolchildren in some of the world's poorest communities. It was founded in 2002 by Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow and is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus. Although the charity's inspiration is Catholic, it is not officially a Catholic organisation. Mary's Meals has grown from feeding 200 children in Malawi to serving meals to more than 2 million children in 16 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is Mary's Meals a Catholic charity? | No, it is not an agency of the Catholic Church but it is inspired by Catholic faith and values. |
| Is Mary's Meals a charity? | Yes, it is a registered charity. |
| Where does Mary's Meals operate? | Mary's Meals operates in 16-20 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. |
| How many children does Mary's Meals feed? | Mary's Meals feeds more than 1 million children every school day. |
| How much does it cost to feed a child with Mary's Meals for a whole school year? | It costs $25.20 or £19.15 to feed a child with Mary's Meals for a whole school year. |
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What You'll Learn
Mary's Meals is not a Catholic charity, but is inspired by Catholic faith
Mary's Meals is a global movement that sets up school feeding programs in some of the world's poorest communities, where children are prevented from gaining an education due to hunger and poverty. The charity is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus, who raised her child in poverty.
Although Mary's Meals is inspired by Catholic faith, it is not a Catholic charity or an agency of the Catholic Church. The charity's founder, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, maintains that its approach and values are shaped by Catholic social teaching. MacFarlane-Barrow has stated that the work of the charity belongs to "Our Blessed Mother in a particular way—we dare to do this in her name, so we have a huge responsibility to carry out our work in a way that honors her."
Mary's Meals was founded in 2002 in Malawi, where a terrible hunger crisis was taking place, with many millions facing starvation. The charity began by feeding 200 children in Malawi and has since grown into a worldwide campaign, providing free school meals in hundreds of schools and feeding more than two million children daily across 16 to 20 countries, including Ethiopia, Haiti, South Sudan, Yemen, Liberia, and Malawi itself.
Mary's Meals works with communities to set up school feeding programs, with parents and teachers organizing a pool of volunteers who take turns cooking and serving meals. The charity also runs relief and rehabilitation projects, providing food, clean water, and clothing, as well as rebuilding schools and orphanages destroyed by natural disasters.
Support for Mary's Meals is global, with fundraising groups in Australia, Austria, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the UAE, the UK, and the USA.
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The charity is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus
Mary's Meals is a charity that provides meals to school children in some of the world's poorest communities. It was founded in 2002 by Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow and has since grown into a worldwide campaign, providing free school meals in hundreds of schools and feeding more than two million children daily.
The charity's mission statement includes prayer, and many young people engage with Mary's Meals as a way to practice their faith. It is unashamedly named after the Virgin Mary, and the values that guide its decision-making and day-to-day work are informed and shaped by Catholic social teaching. The charity has priests and bishops on its various boards.
Founder Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow maintains that the charity's work "belongs to Our Blessed Mother in a particular way—we dare to do this in her name, so we have a huge responsibility to carry out our work in a way that honours her." During Lent, for example, many supporters of Mary's Meals fasted "intentionally, in solidarity with those who don’t have enough food to eat."
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$4.43 $4.95
It provides meals to over 2 million children in 16 countries
Mary's Meals is a charity that provides meals to over 2 million children in 16 countries. It is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus, who brought up her own child in poverty. The charity was founded in 2002 by Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow and his brother, Fergus, who were inspired by their Catholic faith. However, it is not an official Catholic organisation.
The charity's mission is to provide hope and daily meals to hungry children in their place of education. By offering meals in schools, Mary's Meals attracts hungry children into the classroom, giving them the energy to learn and the opportunity to gain an education. This approach is particularly targeted at children in some of the world's poorest communities, where hunger and poverty might otherwise prevent them from attending school.
Mary's Meals began by feeding 200 children in Malawi and has since grown into a worldwide campaign, providing meals in hundreds of schools. The charity now operates in 16 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, including Ethiopia, Haiti, South Sudan, Yemen, and Malawi.
The work of Mary's Meals is supported by a global network of fundraising groups and volunteers. The organisation has also partnered with other charities, such as Gift of the Givers, to provide emergency relief during humanitarian crises. In 2011, for example, Mary's Meals launched a public appeal for funds to help address the famine in Somalia, sending maize-based porridge to feeding camps in Mogadishu.
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It began in 2002, feeding 200 children in Malawi
Mary's Meals is a charity that was founded in 2002 by Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow. It began by feeding 200 children in Malawi. The organisation was inspired by the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who brought up her own child in poverty. The name 'Mary's Meals' reflects this inspiration.
In 2002, Magnus visited Malawi during a famine and met a mother dying from AIDS. When Magnus asked her eldest son, Edward, about his dreams, he replied: "I want to have enough food to eat and to go to school one day." This moment was a key source of inspiration for the founding of Mary's Meals.
The organisation was also influenced by Magnus' Catholic faith. However, it is not an official Catholic charity. Mary's Meals consists of, respects, and reaches out to people of all faiths and none.
Mary's Meals provides meals for children in school in some of the world's poorest communities. The promise of a good meal brings hungry children into the classroom, where they can gain an education and better opportunities for the future. The meals give children the energy they need to concentrate and participate in class.
In Malawi, land is usually donated to build a kitchen adjacent to the school. Teachers and parents organise a pool of volunteers who take turns cooking and serving the meals. Mary's Meals provides the kitchen, cooking equipment, training, ongoing support, and regular supplies of nutritious Likuni Phala.
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The founder, Magnus MacFarlane, was named a CNN Hero in 2010
Mary's Meals is a charity that provides meals for schoolchildren in some of the world's poorest communities. It was founded by Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, who was named a CNN Hero in 2010 for his work with the charity.
MacFarlane-Barrow's programme provides free daily meals to more than 400,000 children around the world. The charity was born out of a trip to Malawi in 2002, where MacFarlane-Barrow aimed to attract girls and boys to school by providing meals. From these humble beginnings, Mary's Meals now operates in 16 to 17 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, serving more than two million meals every school day.
The charity is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was inspired by MacFarlane-Barrow's Catholic faith. However, it is not a Catholic organisation in the formal sense. Mary's Meals works with people of all faiths and none, inviting everyone to be a part of its mission to provide hope and education to hungry children.
MacFarlane-Barrow has received numerous awards for his charitable work, including Scotland Entrepreneur of the Year and an OBE in the New Year's Honours list. His book, "The Shed That Fed A Million Children", made it to the UK's prestigious Times and Sunday Times bestseller lists. He has also received honorary degrees from several universities and was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2015.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Mary's Meals is not an official Catholic charity or agency of the Catholic Church. However, it is inspired by Catholic faith and its values are shaped by Catholic social teaching. The charity is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus, who brought up her child in poverty.
Mary's Meals is a global movement that sets up school feeding programmes in some of the world's poorest communities. It was founded in 2002 by Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow and has grown from feeding 200 children in Malawi to serving more than 2.6 million children in 16 countries every school day.
There are many ways to support Mary's Meals, including becoming a regular giver, volunteering, or fundraising. You can also select your country on the Mary's Meals website to find out how to support your local Mary's Meals campaign.
