A Gateshead charity is calling on local businesses to support its work in keeping families fed during the cost of living crisis.
Feeding Families, based in Blaydon, Gateshead, works alongside agencies such as social services, family support workers, schools and GPs to support those who are experiencing food poverty. A massive 44,000 people were helped by the charity last year, including 15,800 emergency boxes for families in crisis, 13,700 boxes supplied to people leaving hospital and more than 9,000 Christmas hampers.
And now Feeding Families is hoping more businesses will be able to support its work by getting involved in its first charity gala dinner this autumn.
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"The economic squeeze continues to bite," said CEO Juliet Sanders. "Already this year we have seen hikes in food prices, utility bills, National Insurance, interest rates, fuel - with the promise of more to come. This perfect storm is now sending many more families into financial difficulties and Feeding Families is seeing more families looking for support. Helping those who can't access foodbanks, 2022 has seen demand rise and donations fall but we are determined to rise to the challenge to help as many families as possible.
“This is our first event of its kind, and we are sure it will be a huge success. We are seeing strong ticket sales and are delighted to have secured sponsorship from SIG, Cello & Karbon homes.”
Consett -born comedian and Britain's Got Talent winner Lee Ridley, better known as Lost Voice Guy, is the special guest at the event, which will be be held at The Grand Hotel, Gosforth Park on October 1.
Businesses such as Nexus, Sage, Dame Allan's Schools and Tesco already are supporters of the charity, which distributed over £500,000 worth of food to needy families last year, and organisers are hoping more will give their support at the dinner.
They are asking businesses or individual to support the event in various ways:
- Buy a ticket or table of 10 and come to the dinner.
- Take advantage of one of the corporate sponsorship packages.
- Donate an item for the raffle or tombola.
- Share the event details with friends and work colleagues.
Details on all these options can be found here.
Feeding Families’ work started in 2016 as a small project, providing Christmas hampers to a small number of families in desperate need over the festive period. The following year, a request on social media to find people interested in participating in the Christmas hamper scheme led to an overwhelming response, and the concept evolved and grew year-on-year.
In 2020, Feeding Families rose to the challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic and, in partnership with other regional charities and organisation, began to supply weekly food packages to those most vulnerable. Emergency Food Boxes provide food that will support two people for three days.
Today, Feeding Families operates 365 days of the year, with two packaging centres, one in Byers Green, Spennymoor, and the second in Blaydon, Gateshead and is supported by an army of 3,000 volunteers to help to provide emergency food boxes to 1,000 people each month.
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