Housing association shows love for First Love Foundation

In a bid to tackle food poverty, one of London’s leading housing associations has offered a helping hand to Tower Hamlets’ biggest foodbank. Southern Housing Group has donated £5,000 towards First Love Foundation, in recognition of the valuable service they provide across the local community.

The pandemic has seen a dramatic increase in demand for foodbank services across the country, as many people’s incomes have fallen during the crisis. Keeping up with demand has been a challenge for First Love Foundation, which reported a 900% increase in people turning to its summer service during the pandemic. 

Tower Hamlets has the highest rate of child poverty in London with a staggering 44% of children living in inadequate conditions and without access to nutritious food. The foodbank’s Love Summer Foundation scheme helped struggling parents throughout the holidays, providing a variety of advice, food, workshops and parental support.

First Love Foundation CEO and Co-Founder Denise Bentley said: ‘First Love Foundation CEO and Co-Founder Denise Bentley said: ‘Our ‘Love Summer 2020’ campaign has been critical for children in the borough who live in poverty. Covid-19 has increased demand for our services, as children are unable to attend summer camps and parents struggle with increased economic pressure. The support from Southern Housing Group has been instrumental in ensuring we can continue to support children in the borough and make sure not only no child goes hungry, but that each family is fully and properly supported.’ 

Anabel Palmer, Director of Community Investment and Care at Southern Housing Group, added: ‘Although foodbanks shouldn’t be needed, we recognise the vital role they have played is our communities during these challenging times. Southern Housing Group is committed to supporting the First Love Foundation in any we can.’

Supporting community foodbanks is part of Southern Housing Group’s wider food poverty strategy. The housing association is providing food vouchers which can be redeemed at most major supermarkets through its hardship fund, enabling more residents to gain access to fresh produce not typically available at foodbanks.  

To find out more about Southern Housing Group is supporting its residents during Covid-19, please click here