Blog by Sophie Badham, student at Nottingham Trent University
With food banks already stretched to their limit, the COVID pandemic couldn’t have hit at a worse time.
However, a group of keen Rotarians made it their mission to step up and put a stop to thousands of people going to bed hungry.
Rotary4foodbanks is a project providing a sustainable supply channel for the future. The scheme dispenses food donations to food banks cost effectively and enables them to purchase foods at the most competitive price with the cash donations they receive.
The scheme has proven to be a huge success, with Rotary4foodbanks donating an initial £150,000 which has already enabled the regular supply of up to 60 food banks in the East Midlands and South Yorkshire area.
Local food banks can’t thank the scheme enough and say Rotary4foodbanks have saved them this year.
An army of volunteers are busily getting to know food banks on a personal level by carrying out interviews each week to find out specifically what is needed for their area. This means that many more families are getting the food they need!
With the summer months approaching, and the promise of life going back to normal in July, unfortunately it is inevitable that the level of support shown currently will decrease considerably. Many furloughed people will return to their jobs, and others will rightly so enjoy their summer socialising with friends and family. But this is when food banks and thousands of families will suffer.
With the age group of volunteers being 30-60-year-olds, there is a want and need for younger people and students with more time on their hands, to turn their attention to food banks and provide fresh and innovative ideas.
As a student, I understand that this might be easier said than done, but as I become more and more aware of this crisis, the urge to offer my help becomes ever stronger.
There are many ways to get involved, whether it be technical support, distribution, packing, or even raising awareness on your own social media accounts.
We are the future, and together we can make a difference!
Who do we contact?
I want to join the project team – John Cavey ([email protected])
I can help with physical distribution – Lesley Reynolds ([email protected])
You can support Rotary4Foodbanks through our JustGiving page
