Marcus Rashford
For scoring some major goals in the fight to end child food poverty in Britain
Before he earned fame and fortune on the pitch, football star Marcus Rashford grew up so poor that his mother had to work multiple jobs to support the family. There were nights when she skipped meals to allow the future footballer and his four siblings to eat. So when Rashford saw other people struggling during the global pandemic, the millionaire striker for Manchester United took aim at a different kind of goal: feeding hungry kids.
“No child in the U.K. should be going to bed hungry,” Rashford has said. “Whatever your feeling, opinion or judgment, food poverty is never the child’s fault. Let’s protect our young. Let’s wrap arms around each other and stand together to say that this is unacceptable, that we are united in protecting our children. Together we can end this problem.”
His project—carried out under the banner of the nonprofit (and hashtag) #EndChildFoodPoverty—has ignited an urgent call to action for governments and charities in the U.K., all while shining a light on families facing food insecurity.
The positive social impact was immediate. He twice convinced U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson to extend meal benefits for families during the COVID crisis. And Johnson himself declared that Rashford had been more effective than the leader of the Labour Party in holding political leaders accountable. Rashford also spearheaded a donation campaign for FareShare, enabling the umbrella organization of 18 independent U.K. food charities to distribute the equivalent of 21 million meals to children and families.
Marcus Rashford Scores Goal in Fight to End Child Food Poverty in Britain
Before he earned fame and fortune, football star Marcus Rashford grew up so poor that his mother had to work multiple jobs to support the family. So when he saw others struggling during the global pandemic, the millionaire striker for Manchester United took aim at a different kind of goal: feeding hungry kids.
To sustain awareness beyond the pandemic, Rashford formed the Child Food Poverty Task Force, recruiting global brands such as Aldi, Chartwells, Nestlé, McDonald’s and Kellogg’s to join the group. He’s also working with business, education and healthcare leaders in the U.K. as part of the Food Foundation efforts to reverse food insecurity through public policy changes.
Rashford even headed into the kitchen, forming a partnership with celebrity chef Tom Kerridge to launch a project called Full Time Meals. The series of 52 easy-to-prep recipes are designed to teach families how they can eat affordable and healthy meals. A new video recipe is released each week on Instagram’s IGTV platform, with a demonstration from Kerridge, followed by Rashford or other guests preparing the meal themselves. Rashford’s first effort, a chicken satay stir-fry, earned a chef’s kiss from the footballer—a 7.5 out of 10 rating.