Community Support Hub keeping busy

The figures, accurate to May 19, show that the Council’s community support hub has received 1,525 referrals since April 6.

Of these, 492 have come from the Southern Trust, 464 from Advice NI, 308 from the Northern Trust and 261 from ‘other’.

Members have been told that Council established the Community Support Hub in order to help those identified as a vulnerable person during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Support hubs are designed to help vulnerable people get access to the right support, at the right time, from the right organisation in their local area.

A key element of the service is the distribution of the Department for Community’s food boxes, which are received by Council and distributed from the Mid Ulster Sports Arena in Cookstown

The boxes are, members have been told, distributed to a range of community and voluntary organisations who deliver them to vulnerable individuals in need across Mid Ulster.

Over 40 community and voluntary groups are involved in the weekly distribution of 1,075 boxes. In total, 5,272 boxes have been delivered to date.

This food parcel scheme will continue until the end of June.

The report also shows that in Mid Ulster alone, 6,012 shielding letters were issued to residents. Across Northern Ireland, 80,000 shielding letters have been issued.

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