Food aid charities in London were awarded over £776,463 in government funding to help local people struggling to get food as a result of the coronavirus crisis. As a result, over 713,000 meals have been provided for people in need in London.
In total, fourteen charities in the region have benefitted from the Government's Food Charities Grant Fund, with grants ranging from £30,000 for small charities up to £100,000. Since the fund was launched in May, 65 charities across England have been awarded more than £3.5 million. This equates to around 3.2 million meals overall.
The grants are designed to provide immediate support to charities helping to feed those suffering from the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak, including the elderly, those who have left home due to domestic abuse, or those who are struggling financially.
The Food Charities Grant Fund was part of a wider £16 million funding pot, announced in May, which has seen millions of meals provided to thousands of front line charities, with a wider programme delivered by FareShare and WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme).
Commenting, Nick Vandyke, the local Conservative candidate for the London Assembly, said:
This support has played a crucial role in helping the vital work of charities across London that have worked tirelessly and selflessly to help those in need throughout the pandemic. I know I speak for everyone in our community in wanting to thank them for everything they have done, and continue to do, for some of our most vulnerable residents.
From the unprecedented package of support the Government introduced to protect people's jobs and incomes, to the additional support it has provided to charities and organisations working on the frontline to support others, this Conservative government has kept its word to stand behind people during these difficult times.
Commenting, Food Minister Victoria Prentis (pictured) said:
Charities across the country are doing an amazing job of getting food supplies to the most vulnerable in our society.
We know that these organisations are seeing a significant increase in demand, which is why it is so important that they have the extra support they need at this challenging time.
Notes
- Announcing £16 million to provide food to people struggling as a result of coronavirus. This is part of the £750 million package of support for frontline charities announced by the Chancellor and will see at least 5,000 frontline charities and community groups benefit, with support targeted at areas where people are struggling to get food. Within this £16 million, more than £3 million was allocated via the Food Charities Grant Fund which ensured smaller food aid charities and community groups could access funding. This was shared between 65 charities. (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Press Release, 8 May 2020)
- Providing a Covid Summer Food Fund to help support disadvantaged children during the summer months, as we continue to support families during this unprecedented time. We understand that families are facing an entirely unprecedented situation over the summer while we work towards getting all pupils back into school in September. To reflect this, we are a launching a Covid Summer Food Fund, which will provide food vouchers covering the six-week holiday period to eligible families at the end of the term. (Hansard, 16 June 2020, Vol. 677 Col 705)
Charities receiving support in London include:
- Be Enriched, based in Brixton, received £36,400.
- Holy Trinity, based in Brompton, received £100,000.
- Central Eltham Youth Project, based in Greenwich, Lewisham, Bromley and Bexley, received: £36,000.
- Hot Line Meals Service, based in Hackney and Haringey, received £99,456.
- Bow Foodbank received 43,400.
- Celestial Church of Christ Amazing Grace Parish, based in Southwark, received £38,088.
- Young Ealing Foundation, based in Ealing and Brent, received £50,000.
- Highgate Newton Community Centre based in Camden received £30,000.
- Inclusion Barnet received £33,294.
- Harrow Community Action received £30,000.
- The Felix Project (Greater London) received £100,000.
- Manor House Development Trust, based in Hackney, received £80,000.
- Mishon, based in Hackney, Haringey and Dalston received £30,000.
- The Chicken Soup Shelter, based in Hackney and Haringey, received £69,825.
