The Coronavirus is an unprecedented challenge for local food banks, and we don’t yet know how things will unfold. The Trussell Trust and other food bank centres are working with their network on how best to support people, and wherever possible, food banks will continue to provide the lifeline of emergency food.
Food banks are running low on many items and this is where we can help, with anything we might have in our cupboard, ask your friends, family and neighbours if they can also donate a tin or two to collect up and donate, or buy a couple of items at the supermarket and donate onto your local food bank. Many of the food banks are still open, some on reduced hours but remain in desperate need of food.
We encourage you where possible to continue donating after checking with your local food bank what items are most needed, these lists can be found on the food banks website.
The Trussell Trust have 1,200 food bank centres in their network, giving services like money advice, holiday clubs and cookery courses, helping support people in crisis across the UK, where thirteen million people live below the poverty line.
In the last year they gave 1.6 million three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis, half a million went to children. New national data highlights the growing proportion of food bank referrals due to benefit levels not covering the costs of essentials, such as housing and food.
Individuals are going hungry every day for a range of reasons, from benefit delays to receiving an unexpected bill on a low income.
The Trussell Trust recognise that stopping hunger is about More Than Food, which is why they work with food banks to provide a range of services like money advice and Fuel Banks, helping people to break the cycle of poverty.
We are asking for YOUR help to tackle hunger and support your local food bank. Please help to make a difference to people living and going hungry in your community. 40,000 people volunteered with a Trussell Trust Food bank in 2017/2018.
Download your How to Guide for Foodparcels here
“Thanks to Agents Giving for linking local estate agents to food banks across the UK. and for encouraging them to support Our food bank network. Food banks rely on local businesses like estate agents to help them deliver vital services within their communities and break the cycle of poverty so a huge thank you from us all at Trussell Trust.”
Send in any photos of your food parcel collections or fundraising, let us know how you are planning to help and we can help you promote it.
Please note that food banks are very busy and mostly run by volunteers, please contact them direct through their email, which can be found on their web page or call before donating. In some instances you might be able to organise a visit to the food bank to deliver your parcel donation. They may be able to come along to your offices to tell you a bit more about the great work they do, or give you a call back to discuss how best you can get involved.
Agents are already doing a wonderful job supporting their local foodbanks.
A great example of how you can become involved with your local foodbank is that of Paramount in West Hampstead.
The Paramount Collective is an initiative in place to help and support as many different initiatives and causes as possible over 12 months. However there is one charity they support regularly – The Brent Foodbank. Paramount don’t think it is right that there are people living in our communities without enough food so they do everything they can to help the Brent Foodbank collect essential goods.
Throughout the year the Paramount office acts as a collection point for collections which are then made onto the Brent Foodbank. Thousands of food and non food items which they are in desperate need of are donated.
This year the Paramount office has acted as a drop-off point, so people in the local area can deliver non-perishable goods.
“As the need for Foodbanks has increased across the UK, we’ve recognised that we must pull together as a community to help in every way we can. Paramount has proudly supported Brent Food Bank for the past few years, donating time, money and food at every opportunity. With the support of Agents Giving, we hope more and more agencies can get behind their local food banks and really help those in need.”
Spencer Lawrence, Director of Lettings.
“We are thrilled to be supported by Paramount, and for Agents Giving who will be campaigning for us. Last year we saw a 61% increase in the numbers accessing the service, with 953 food supplies going to children last year alone. As the need increases, we are even more thankful to generous people in the community who sustain the food bank and the necessary work it does helping people in crisis.”
Michelle from Brent Food Bank
Thank you for supporting this very important cause.
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