You've fed 1000 people in need!
9 Dec 2011
Thank you to every single person and organisation who has helped make this happen. Read the full story here:
Photo: Foodbank volunteer Ste Robertson at a recent supermarket collection
Central Liverpool Foodbank, based here at Frontline Church, has just fed its 1000th person, only 8 months since the service first opened.
More than 300 of those fed were children, with many parents saying they regularly choose to go hungry themselves to ensure that their children can have something to eat.
Foodbanks are set up by Salisbury-based charity The Trussell Trust and are designed to provide a minimum of 3 days emergency food and support to anyone experiencing a crisis.
People have to obtain a voucher before they can receive a food parcel and each person is allowed to visit the foodbank a maximum of 3 times. Frontline’s Foodbank has more than 60 voucher distributors, including the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and various housing associations.
It is clear that the need for services like this is growing exponentially, with three other Foodbanks being set up in Merseyside within the last year. From January, Central Liverpool Foodbank will also start opening for an extra day each week because the need is so great.
Foodbank Manager Paul Edwards said: “This is a really busy period for us at Foodbank. People accessing the service are telling us that they don’t have enough money left once they’ve paid their bills to feed themselves or their children.
“It breaks our heart to see this happening to families in Liverpool. But that is what we’re here for - to feed hungry people in need, no matter who they are or what has caused their crisis.”
One example was when a lady came to the Foodbank last week after experiencing problems with her benefits. As well as food, she desperately needed clothes for her 3-year-old daughter. Foodbank was able to give her enough food for the weekend as well as clothes which had been donated by parents from the Sticky Fingers Parent & Toddler Group, another Frontline Project. She had tears of joy in her eyes as she left.
Riverside Housing has been one of Foodbank’s greatest supporters, as well as Liverpool Housing Trust, Armadillo Storage, and numerous other businesses, supermarkets, schools and individuals.
Paul Edwards said: “People have been incredibly generous by donating food at our Frontline Church collections and at our collections outside Asda, Tesco and other supermarkets. We have collected a staggering 11,000kg of food in total and given out 7,000kg already. We want to say a massive thank you to all who have donated so generously!”
For more information about Central Liverpool Foodbank or to arrange a food collection for the needy at your workplace or school, please see www.centralliverpool.foodbank.org.uk or contact the Foodbank team at Frontline on 0151 733 3373 or foodbank@frontline.org.uk.
Christmas Opening Times
Our Foodbank will be closed on Monday 26th December & Monday 2nd January.
We're open as usual on Friday 30th December, 1-4pm.
From Wednesday 4th January onwards Foodbank will be open every Monday, Wednesday & Friday!