Sponsor a School
Sponsor a School with Mary's Meals
Sponsoring a school is an amazing way to help us reach more of the world’s poorest children with the promise of a daily meal.
Whether you’re an individual, school, church, workplace or group, you can give your fundraising a focus by pledging to cover the cost of feeding every student at a school for an entire year!
Your fundraising target will be set depending on the number of children enrolled at your school. Get in touch to find out about sponsoring a school in Malawi or Zambia today!
Choose to sponsor:
A small school from $6,000 per year
A medium school from $9,000 per year
A large school from $14,000 per year
Alternatively, you could opt to Feed a Classroom, where you can feed 25 children for an entire school year by covering the cost of their daily meal.
How Sponsor A School Works
1. Fill in the form
Choose the country and size of school you wish to support and fill in the form below.
2. We match you to a school
We will get in contact to discuss your options and match you with a school.
3. Plan out your fundraising
Start fundraising for your school. Alternatively, you can make your donation upfront.
4. Read all about it
Enjoy our email updates and final report on your sponsored school.
What is Feed a Classroom?
Our Feed a Classroom initiative is a fantastic alternative to sponsoring a school as it allows you to make a lasting difference without having to commit to the full amount needed to sponsor an entire school.
Instead, by Feeding a Classroom and covering the cost of 25 children’s meals for $630 a year, you’ll have the opportunity to ensure every child in the class gets a nutritious meal every day.
Your acts of love can bring about big changes to build a better future for desperately hungry children.
Have any questions about Sponsor A School?
What is Sponsor A School?
Sponsor A School gives you the opportunity to provide nutritious daily meals for an entire school for a whole year. It’s an amazing way to have a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of children. We calculate the total cost to sponsor a school as the number of children enrolled in that school, multiplied by our current cost per child (for a year), which is just $25.20.
How do I make donations to my chosen school, and how can I check my total?
You can sponsor a school in two ways: fundraising or a personal gift.
Some people choose to fundraise, often alongside family and friends, to cover the cost of their school. This is a great way of bringing people together to create an amazing impact. We have lots of ideas of how you can raise money for your sponsored school. Contact our team below for more information
Alternatively, some people choose to cover the full cost themselves or with friends and family as a one-off donation, or through multiple donations or regular gifts, including Direct Debits, throughout the year.
However you choose to sponsor your school, you will be provided with a personal fundraising page (which sits on the Mary’s Meals website), where you can make donations and keep track of your total. You can share this with your friends, family and colleagues.
If you wish to make a donation any other way (e.g. bank transfer/personal checks/DAFs) please ensure you contact us so we can allocate this to your chosen
How will my donations be used?
When you choose to Sponsor a School, your donations will go directly to our feeding program in the country where your school is located. For example, if your sponsored school is in Zambia, your donations will be used to feed students in Zambia. Please note, all “Feed a Classroom” gifts will be restricted to feed students in Malawi. Malawi is our largest program country where over 1 million students are fed every single school day.
Can someone from Mary’s Meals come to my school/workplace/group to talk about your work?
Yes, we have a wonderful team of volunteers who are always happy to provide support with talks in the community. Please contact our Mary’s Meals team to find out more.
Are the funds I raise restricted to my chosen school only?
No, your donations will be restricted to your selected country, rather than to your specific school. This is to ensure that every child in the schools that are allocated to the Sponsor A School program can be fed, even if the enrolment number changes or their allocated sponsor is unable to raise the funds required. This model allows Mary’s Meals to be flexible and keep our promise to all the hungry children who rely on our school meals.
Will I receive updates from the Mary's Meals staff regarding the school I am sponsoring?
Once your school has been fully funded in the first year of sponsorship, our in-country team will begin collecting information from the school that we will then be able to share with you. This might take the form of photos, videos and/or quotes from students, teachers and volunteers. We ask for your patience and flexibility as content collection process can be quite challenging depending on the location of the school.
If I don’t reach my target within 12 months, will the school still be provided for?
Yes, your chosen school will still be provided for and we will ensure that the children there will receive Mary’s Meals every school day. Our team is committed to helping support you on this journey to reach your goal and would be happy to speak further if you are having trouble reaching your goal.
What happens if I exceed my target during the year?
If your efforts surpass your expectations and you exceed your fundraising target over 12 months, that’s incredible news! Be assured that any donations above your target amount will be used to feed hungry children in the same country as your sponsored school.
Please note:
Mary’s Meals does not own any of the schools where the meals are provided, and we cannot guarantee that enrolments or circumstances of your sponsored school will remain the same from the time of sponsorship till the end of your fundraising year. There may also be rare occasions where we are unable to deliver school feeding in an area due to unexpected events. We will keep you informed of any significant changes.
Why choose to Sponsor A School?
Sponsoring a school with Mary’s Meals allows you to provide life-changing meals for every child in a school for a whole year. This has a huge impact, not only on the children, but on their families and wider communities. As a supporter, you will have a real sense of connection to your chosen school and to the children you are helping.
Meet the sisters in Florida who feed 1150 children in Malawi!
Maria and Carmen Garza turn their pain into purpose, fear into love and prayer into action, with their initiative, Carmela's Kitchen.
The efforts are in honor of the late Carmela Garza, who they share, "Carmela's heart was not limited, she knew that the secret was to do small acts loaded with great love, always starting from the genuine desire to provide relief, to lovingly impact the life of another human being."
Knowing that with a bunch little acts of love we're making a huge impact in the lives of the children in need is our favorite part of sponsoring a school. Maria and Carmen, school sponsor
The sisters get their community together to fundraise through hosting walk/runs, small concerts and dinner parties. They also spread the word about Mary's Meals and Carmela's Kitchen through social media!