An appeal for people to donate the cost of their lunch to Darlington’s King’s Church foodbank has been launched as demand continues to grow.
Darlington Rotary has started a ‘lunch money’ campaign to encourage people to help the foodbank as it copes with increasing numbers.
Darlington Rotary has supported the foodbank for several years giving thousands of pounds, and through the pandemic has continued to donate.
Caroline Todd, food bank manager
A popular way members have been helping is by donating the cost of a meal they might normally have had at a weekly Rotary meeting.
Rotarian Peter Phillips, who is a link between Rotary and the food bank, said: “For the food bank there is no summer holiday. Demand is still high and increasing as redundancies creep up.
“The immediate lack of income and the inevitable delay until an application for universal credit is settled means families are literally living hand to mouth. Even then universal credit rarely replaces totally the loss of income.”
Peter said when the furlough scheme begins to wind down it was feared more redundancies will be made putting greater strain on the food bank’s resources.
The immediate lack of income and the inevitable delay until an application for universal credit is settled means families are literally living hand to mouth. Even then universal credit rarely replaces totally the loss of income.”
He said: “Even if it’s just a price of a lunchtime coffee and a sandwich, we’re asking those who can spare it to give it to those who are struggling through the week to feed their families.”
Caroline Todd, the King’s Church Foodbank manager said: “Until you have seen the demand it’s difficult to believe. Rotary saw it and have responded with continued help for three years. We and our clients are so, so thankful.”
Donations can be made direct to the foodbank at The King’s Centre. Sort code: 60-83-01. Account number 20172413. Reference: FoodbankRotary
Rotary clubs across the Thames Valley have been collaboratively donating their lunch money to food banks and other charitable causes since the start of the pandemic.
Rotarians in District 1090 have so far raised more than £140,000.
