The number of Bristol's young people who rely on handouts has soared over the past year by 30 per cent and now a charity is crowdfunding for more money.
Bosses at MAZI Project aim to combat food inequality among disadvantaged young people. But due to surging demands they have now launched a crowdfunder to colect £30,000 to raise the funds for a new van.
But what exactly are young people who use MAZI getting? Each week those supported by the project get to choose up to three recipes from the array organisers offer. All boxes are made up from locally sourced and fresh ingredients, all measured out to exactly what the recipe requires and each individual is given a recipe book, variety of spices and a refillable oil bottle.
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Currently, organisers are relying on volunteers as well as founder, Melanie, to use their cars to deliver the food kits to those in need. But with the level of demand having gone up, they can’t keep up with the number of parcels needing to be delivered, especially as the number they support has doubled from 80 to 160 young people.
If they can reach their £30,000 target, they will not only be able to fund the purchase of a dedicated van, they will also be able to pay for a driver and all the additional training and safeguarding.
Melanie Vaxevanakis, Managing Director and Founder of The MAZI Project, said: "We believe that everyone deserves access to nutritious meals, regardless of their circumstances. With the support of our community, we can make a significant difference in the lives of even more individuals. The new van will enable us to increase our meal deliveries, ensuring that no one goes hungry."
And if they manage to exceed their target, they have plans for what they could do with any extra money.
- £10,000 extra would secure a year's van insurance, maintenance costs and a van driver.
- £20,000 extra would help with refurbishing costs for a new, larger permanent space for the organisation.
- £30,000 extra would secure a years rent for a new larger space, helping them support even more people in need.
- £40,000 extra would secure rent for a year for a new, larger permanent space and contribute towards energy bills.
If you want to find out more or donate to this cause head to their page on the Crowdfunder website.
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