The government will soon be providing some 41,000 food packages to deprived families who do not meet the EU criteria to receive food, the Family and Social Solidarity Minister Michael Farrugia announced this morning.

During a press conference at the Leap Centre in Vittoriosa, Dr Farrugia said the government would roll out a food aid programme similar to that funded by the European Union.

A tender for the supply of the food, which would include healthy options, had already been issued, the Minister said.

Those eligible for the new scheme include families receiving non-contributory benefits with one child under the age of 16, those who live alone on an old age pension, families with one child receiving the energy benefit and those eligible for the disability pension who are not employed.

Under the EU scheme, those benefitting from the scheme had to have at least two dependent children, the minister said, adding that the new programme would target a wider range of families in need.

When giving out the food, the families would also be profiled by mentors who would asses their situation and provide any other assistance, as was the case with the EU-funded scheme.