Family Food Aid appeal launched to support local families experiencing food poverty
Northamptonshire Community Foundation has launched the Family Food Aid appeal, to tackle food poverty and ensure that vulnerable families and children across the county have access to nutritious food and vital support services.
In January 2024, the Food Foundation estimated that 24% of UK households with children were experiencing food insecurity. Northamptonshire Community Foundation aims to raise at least £25,000 to create a fund that will award grants to local groups and charities working to address food insecurity in deprived communities in Northamptonshire.
All money raised will be distributed through the foundation's partner charities and community organisations, to ensure this vital support reaches those most in need. Donations can be made via Justgiving: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/familyfoodaid2024
Dean Jones, Head of Giving & Development at Northamptonshire Community Foundation and leading the launch of the Family Food Aid appeal, said: “We have launched this campaign in response to the number of households in our county who do not have access to sufficient and nutritious food, a number which is unfortunately growing at an alarming rate.
“It is children in particular who bear the brunt of rising food poverty, which we know from the publication of worrying statistics such as 6% of children in the UK used food banks in 2021/22.
“We are very grateful to local organisations who have already shown their support for the Family Food Aid appeal, including Wilson Browne Solicitors who kindly gave us our first donation. Any support that local residents and businesses can offer, to join us in the fight against food poverty, will make a tangible, meaningful difference and will be hugely appreciated.”
Northamptonshire Community Foundation have run several successful fundraising campaigns to tackle urgent need across the county. In 2021, the foundation was able to award £40,456 in grants from the Family Food Aid Fund, benefitting 3,870 beneficiaries as a result of the fundraising appeal by the same name.
With their funding, Northampton Town of Sanctuary were able to provide healthy hot meals to the young refugees attending their youth club; Weston Favell Centre Foodbank were able to hand out food parcels to families living in deprived neighbourhoods, and Family Support Link Wellingborough purchased food for families with young children who were adversely affected by food poverty.
