As the COVID-19 pandemic sends shockwaves through our communities, FareShare South West is now at the centre of an emergency operation to get food to the most vulnerable in our city and region.
They are absolutely determined not only to stay open but to level up their organisation as far as they possibly can to stop the very worst happening.
This includes families and children going hungry who are already living on the breadline and have no budget to stockpile, isolated elderly people who already rely on meals being delivered to their homes and homeless people who are facing places offering food support closed for business.
While supermarkets seem empty, there are thousands of tonnes of surplus food in the system, in part due to the hospitality sector closing. There is no other organisation in the region with the capacity to redistribute this food, and FareShare South West is well placed to deliver it straight to those most in need.
FareShare not only faces the challenge of continuing our existing operation, but also adding emergency operation. We have increased cleaning costs, fuel costs, logistics and food sourcing costs.
Please give what you can to help us bridge the food gap during this crisis.