‘Our shelves are emptying faster than they’re filling’: Causeway Foodbank makes urgent appeal
Causeway Foodbank is appealing for urgent donations as supplies of essential food and household items fall to critically low levels.
The Causeway Foodbank warehouse is based at the Hope Centre at Coleraine’s Vineyard Compassion on Hillman’s Way. The charity is warning that donations are currently struggling to keep pace with the number of parcels going out to local families.
Phil Drummond, Provisions Manager at Vineyard Compassion, said: “Our shelves are emptying faster than they’re filling.
"Every week we’re looking at what is coming in through donations compared with what is going out in food parcels, and at the moment we’re struggling to keep that balance where it needs to be.
"That’s why we’re making this appeal. We want to be honest with people about what we’re seeing. If our community knows what’s happening, they have the opportunity to help us before the situation becomes more difficult.”
Phil said that, alongside people receiving benefits who are struggling to make ends meet, the Foodbank is increasingly seeing working families and even households where two people are working.
"That’s an important part of the story. Needing a food parcel isn’t necessarily about someone not working or not trying. Sometimes a family simply can’t make their income stretch far enough."
Causeway Foodbank operates through a voucher system, working with local agencies including health visitors, social workers, schools and advice centres.
The items that are most needed are tinned meat, tinned vegetables, tinned fruit, tinned tomatoes, rice, pasta sauces, shampoo, deodorant and long-life milk.
"We have good supplies of some other staples for now, including baked beans, tinned soup, pasta and breakfast cereal.
"The reason we highlight specific items is because we want to make sure we’re able to put together food parcels that are balanced and provide people with a useful range of food,” added Phil.
Donations (financial or food) can be made at the Hope Centre or at one of the Trussell collection points in Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
"We’re also happy to support churches, schools, workplaces and sports clubs that want to organise their own collections. We can provide shopping lists and collection crates,” said Phil.
"And we always need volunteers to help sort donations, pack parcels and keep our stock moving.”