In Jakobstad (Pietarsaari), children on summer break will be able to access free lunches this June.
The west-coast town decided to provide lunches next month after up to 70 pupils responded positively to a survey on summer meals.
Pupils of all ages have signed up for the lunches, according to Jakobstad's education director, Jan Levander, who said kids from all of the town's schools expressed an interest in the summer meal.
Being home alone while parents work was the most common reason for pupils wanting free lunch during the summer break. Some of the children also cited financial motives.
Several larger cities, like Helsinki, Vantaa and Tampere, run summertime park lunch programmes to make sure children receive at least one hot meal a day — but not all municipalities offer the service.
Surveys have shown that an increasing number of families in Finland are struggling to provide basics for their children, including food.
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