Next Foodbank Collection at Sainsburys Sands End on 25th February 2012.  Volunteers needed.  Please contact Foodbank at admin@hffb.org.




December 4th collection a success!

Many thanks to all those who volunteered on Saturday 4th December at the collection of food at Sainsburys in South Fulham.  Over 800kg of food was collected and taken to the store at Christ Church Fulham.  This is going to help hugely with the increased demand from those most in need over Christmas.  Well done to all those who contributed to a fantastic days work!

St Matthews volunteers at Christ Church working hard. All the food is collated according to type and 'sell by' date.

Foodbank needs you!  Volunteers needed!

Sainsburys have agreed to a date for the next Foodbank collection at their Townmead Road store.  This will be on Saturday the 4th December. Volunteers are needed to hand out shopping lists, thank people for donations and sort food at the collection point and load it into cars at various time slots through the day as follows; 9.30am - 11.30am, 11.30am - 1.30pm, 1.30pm - 3.30pm. 

FB will need a couple of drivers to move food up to Christ Church from between 11.00am - 1.30pm and 1.30pm - 4.00pm. 

And at the store room at Christ Church, to take delivery of the food, weigh and sort it by item and date order  from between 10.30am - 12.30pm, 12.30pm - 2.30pm, and 2.30pm - 4.30pm. 

If you would like to help us please let Elizabeth Patterson know at bethterson@btinternet.com or phone on 0207 751 2248. 

Foodbank in a an ongoing project so if you are interested in volunteering with Foodbank please contact Daphine Aikens on 0207 751 2248 or email her on admin@hffb.org. 

What is Foodbank?

St Matthews are delighted to be invited to take part in a new initiative to reach the most deprived parts of our community in Sand End and South Fulham.  Foodbank was first created by an organisation called The Trusell Trust in Salisbury Wiltshire.  It now has many centres all over the UK.  St Matthews are being asked to contribute along with other local churches to pioneer one of the first Foodbank outlets in inner London.  A team from St Matthews pcc went to visit the Salisbury Foodbank to see the work first hand.

Ok sounds interesting but what does it do?

Foodbank is essentially a store where people can deposit food so that people who are in need of food can take it out.  It is aimed at those people and their families who may have a short term emergency need. For example, a common problem we come across in Sands End is when a benefits cheque is slow to arrive or money has run out at the end of the month.  In genuine cases Foodbank can help individuals and families bridge that gap by supplying them with non persishable food supplies. 

Are there people really going hungry in Sands End?

Yes, here are some statistics on poverty in the H&F Borough.

 -           27% of residents live in poverty (compared to the average of 17% in  England, 18% in London and an inner-London average of 20%),
-           1 in 4 children live in households where the head of the household has                  never worked
-           18% of the working age population is on some form of benefits
-           50% of children live in low income families
-           Where 1 is the most deprived, this Borough is ranked 38th out of 354 local authorities, in terms of average deprivation.

And yes, because we know from experience that there are many who are already helped by people in the church to bridge monthly financial shortfalls.

Who is already involved?

The project is being coordinated by Christ Church in Fulham (contact below) who are very keen to work in partnership with local churches.

Ok, so how does it work? 

Teams of Foodbank volunteers collect food outside local supermarkets, churches and schools.  At the supermarket they hand to shoppers a list of items that the Foodbank needs.  Shoppers add one of the items or more to their shopping and pay as normal at the tills, then on the way out they hand the item(s) to the volunteers who then pack them into boxes to be taken away. 

Boxes being packed back at the storage facility.

SANDS END SAINSBURYS ARE EXCITED TO BE INVOLVED.  THE FIRST COLLECTION WAS ON SATURDAY 15TH MAY 2010.

How does it work?  The collected food is then taken to a central store (temporarily at Christ Church Fulham in Studderidge Street) and graded according to 'sell by' date.  Food is then prepared in boxes for up to three days supply for clients in need to come and collect. 

How is Foodbank 'bringing Jesus to the people and the people to Jesus?'

Its great that you know St Matthew's vision statement! The sign pinned to the wall of St Matthews says we are a church for 'the Sands End community'.  So how can we be on the inside what the sign says about us on the outside?  How are we a church 'for the Sands End community'? Do we do what it says on the tin?

Foodbank is a practical outworking of our desire to meet people in our local community, outside the church community as Jesus would.  How is St Matthews a church for 'the Sands End community?' Well this is a practical way we can show the love of Jesus to those in need around us.  We desire to see lives transformed not only through physical provision of food, but through the recognition and understanding of how wonderful, unique and loved every single one of us is in the eyes of Jesus.

Can anyone go and collect food for free?

No there is a system.  Foodbank will be working in partnership with local social services, front line care workers, doctors surgeries and church leaders.   They will have special  FB vouchers which they can fill out and give to those they meet who are in genuine crisis need.  For example, those who need a bridge between benefit cheques, those waiting for cheques to arrive like people who have just come out of prison.  Those vouchers can then be redeemed for food at the the Foodbank store/centre.  The beauty of FB is that it recognises the importance of working alongside those who are already on the front line and who can determine whether there is genuine need or not. 

Could this be open to abuse?

There will be checks and balances in place to make as sure as possible that only genuine need is met.  Also, Foodbank initially offers a short term solution with the supply of emergency food.  A client can only collect food up to three occasions.  Foodbank will be able to put people in touch with agencies who can help on a more long term basis. 

Ok, it sounds really exciting how can I get involved?

Thats great!  You can get involved in many ways.

1. Volunteer. You maybe able to help with collections, prayer and administration.

2.  Distribution and Packing.  Do you have warehousing/ practical skills?

3. Fundraising.  You may want to help by raising money through charities and grant applications. You may even want to run for Foodbank in a charitable race!

4. Social Services.  Are you on the front line? You may already have skills and/or work alongside social services.  We'd love to hear from you!

5.  Donations. If you wish to make a private donation through St Matthews church please mark the envelope clearly with 'FOODBANK'. Remember if you are a UK tax payer please fill in the yellow envelope forms so that we can claim back 28% from the government.

CONTACT

If you would like to be involved or would like more information please send an email stating what your interest and skills are to either;

Project Coordinator Daphine Aikens/Elizabeth Patterson at Hammermith and Fulham Foodbank admin@hffb.org or call  0207 751 2248.