Steps to Recovery initiative
As part of our Covid-19 project in 2020, we worked with 28 churches to deliver 1,800 bags of food and 7,000 hot meals to over 3,000 people. The number of churches helping us to deliver food and activities during the school holidays (our 'Filling the Gap' initiative) doubled over the year to 20.
Feedback through our frontline volunteers (gathered at a recent zoom meeting) is that the situation is not easing. Where families are now able to support themselves and have stopped receiving food aid, other families have come in their place mostly due to unemployment, being furloughed or issues with Universal Credit. Because of this there has been an increase in the numbers of children in receipt of free school meals or pupil premium. Good relationships with schools are important to identify families, especially those who may be reticent/embarrassed to come forwards.
Our volunteers also told us that in addition to the problem of not being able to access food, some families which were previously budgeting, shopping around and preparing healthier meals have found this more difficult due to the stresses of having children at home, losing jobs, illness etc. We know from a Child Poverty Action Group report that 6 in 10 families are struggling to cover the cost of 3 or more basic essentials such as food, utilities and rent
We want to support families through our network of churches, not only to provide food but also to provide recipes, cooking equipment (scales, measuring jugs etc.), information about local Social Supermarkets and referral to debt advice, CAB etc.
Our project therefore has a dual role, firstly to continue feeding vulnerable people, secondly to begin the process of helping them to become self –sufficient.
We have small amounts of funding from the Cheshire Community Foundation and the Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation for churches to help us with this work so please get in touch with us and let us know what activities you are looking for support with
Wendy Robertson - wendy.robertson@tltogether.org.uk
Tel:07787712783
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