The New Hope Food Bank is holding a shop, stop, and drop event in Halfway this weekend.
The event is to encourage people in the local area of Halfway and Eckington to drop off any donations they can to help out the community. Items like food and Christmas presents are most in demand as the holiday season approaches.
However, with the ongoing cost of living crisis, demand for food from food banks has risen but donations have dropped since the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Hope Food Bank co-ordinator, Michelle Taurins, said: “The donations have significantly plummeted.” Pre-pandemic, the food bank would have to empty donation bins twice a week. Now, they are lucky to fill even one.
Many essentials are having to be bought by the volunteers themselves in order to be able to fulfil their commitment to give out balanced food parcels.
Alongside the short term relief that is provided through food parcels, the New Hope Food Bank also gives out information packs directing people to where they can get advice on their money worries.
Mrs Taurins said: “We don’t want to just be handing out food, we want to be helping people to get out of poverty.”
The food bank’s volunteers have been out in the local community today handing out shopping lists of the items that are most in demand.
Mrs Taurins explained her reasoning behind choosing to hold the event on Black Friday. She said: “Using Black Friday weekend, when people who can afford to spend in excess, [they] might just take a minute to think about those that actually can’t and can’t even get a meal on the table.”
As Christmas is a time for joy, the New Hope Food Bank hopes that local residents can come together to help out those who are the most in need.
Mrs Taurins said: “We need to be a community and we need to be helping each other and if each person just gives in one tin, it all helps towards being able to facilitate the service that we do.”
The food bank has been running since 2012 and has managed to provide more than 327,000 meals to local residents.
Donations can be dropped off at the Halfway Park and Ride between 9am and 3pm today and tomorrow.
