Newham food banks receive £5,000 to help combat food poverty during Covid-19
In a bid to tackle food poverty, one of London’s leading housing associations has offered a helping hand to food banks across Newham. Southern Housing Group has donated £5,000 towards Newham Food bank, in recognition of the valuable service they provide across the local community.
The Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, said: ‘As many are aware, Newham has one of the highest rates of child poverty in London and a high rate of households in temporary accommodation. Organisations such as Newham Foodbank already provided an invaluable service for our community but have gone above and beyond during this time of crisis. Southern Housing Group’s support will be a huge help in our fight against food poverty and our commitment to supporting families in Newham community during Covid-19.’
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. The Trussell Trust, which runs the Newham Foodbank, has found that there has been an 89% increase in food parcel demand and a 67% rise in household referrals to foodbanks since the start of the pandemic.
Foodbanks are a critical lifeline for many. Southern Housing Group, which is part of Triathlon Homes, is also looking forward to supporting a new network of foodbanks in East Village, to help local families. So far, 13 families have received emergency assistance thanks to the hard-working volunteers.
Kath King, Managing Director of Triathlon Homes commented: ‘I am very proud of the team effort that has helped establish the foodbank at East Village. Although foodbanks shouldn’t be needed, as a responsible landlord, we are determined to work with our partner organisations to ensure residents are able to access extra assistance during these challenging times.’
Supporting community foodbanks is part of Southern Housing Group’s wider food poverty strategy. The housing association is also 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 food banks.