A new Harvest appeal is inviting local people to help tackle food poverty at home as well as 6,000 miles away – with local food donations.
Feed The Hungry UK’s Can + Coin Campaign aims to replenish Coventry Foodbank’s depleted stocks on the run up to Christmas, whilst also supporting their Mission Bolivia project, which works to feed children, young people and mothers living on the streets of Santa Cruz as well as complete the building of a new children’s centre.
The ‘Can For Coventry and Coin for Kids’ joint initiative is running throughout the Harvest period throughout September, October and November.
Coventry Foodbank’s Project Manager Dee Ward explains: “Businesses, schools, organisations and individuals are being invited to give a food item to Coventry Foodbank, with a coin taped on it, that will be used to support a feeding programme for street children in Bolivia.
She added: “Businesses are also being encouraged to collect items of food at their premises and then to deliver the collection to Coventry foodbank’s warehouse. Currently, we’re giving out more than 2,000kg of food over and above what we’re receiving in donations each week. That’s obviously unsustainable. A food collection in your office, even if it’s a couple of carrier bags of jars and tins, helps us to help struggling families and individuals all year round.
“Harvest and Christmas are key times of year for us to bolster our reserve stock, and business donations are critical in that.”
Feed The Hungry UK is Coventry Foodbank’s parent charity, working in 25 countries across the globe to alleviate hunger.
Closer to home, over 250k people have received food from the Foodbank in the 12 years since it’s been established. The cost of living squeeze means that foodbank use across Coventry is facing its highest ever demand.
Meanwhile, the city foodbank’s Pathfinders Team, works with more than 300 support agencies through its callback service to co-ordinate support to tackle the root causes of food poverty.
Of the latest campaign, Head of Communications for Feed The Hungry UK, Rich Smith said: “The Can + Coin initiative helps to not only support the invaluable work of Coventry Foodbank, which is feeding hundreds of people across the city each week, but also impacts the lives of children and families living on the streets of Santa Cruz.
“Even in recent days, Bolivia has experienced wildfires that are affecting thousands, forcing more and more people into homelessness. A donation of a Can for Coventry and a Coin for Bolivia will help both locally and globally.”
Donations can be dropped off at Feed The Hungry and Coventry Foodbank’s central warehouse at The Halo Centre, Progress Way, Binley, between 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday. If that’s not possible, people are invited to book a collection by emailing: info@coventry.foodbank.org.uk.
Find out more about Coventry Foodbank’s Can + Coin Campaign, including a list of currently needed items and a printable poster HERE.
There is normally a foodbank centre open somewhere in the City of Coventry 6 days a week as Coventry Foodbank distributes food through 13 partner churches.
Coventry Foodbank partners with a wide range of care professionals who identify people in crisis and issue them with a foodbank voucher.
Foodbank clients bring their voucher to a foodbank centre where it can be redeemed for three days’ emergency food. Volunteers meet clients over a warm drink and can signpost people to other organisations to help resolve the longer-term problems that might cause someone to need to use a foodbank.
One in five of the UK population live below the poverty line.
Feed The Hungry is an international Christian humanitarian organisation committed to fighting hunger due to poverty, war, famine and natural disasters. The charity works to reduce world hunger by establishing feeding programs following disaster relief operations in 21 different countries worldwide.
With its partner organisations, since 1987, Feed The Hungry have globally assisted in feeding over 420,000 children every day in 25 countries.
Feed The Hungry also provides disaster relief recovery programs through its network of community programs around the globe.
Partners include: It Works Netherland, Red Wings UAE and UK, Rise Against Hunger, Rotary UK and Ireland and various local businesses, churches and individuals.
