NORTHERN-based social housing consortium Efficiency North has made a generous donation of £3,000 to support two regional foodbanks during the cost of living crisis.
Rotherham Foodbank, which is part of the national Trussel Trust network, and St John’s Church foodbank in Hull both received a portion of the donation to support their work in providing food parcels to those in need.
Currently, there is a marked increase in demand for support due to the rise in food prices and overall cost of living. The Trussell Trust forecasts that more than 600,000 people will need the support of its food banks between December 2023 and February 2024.
In December, Chair Pauline Davis, on behalf of the Efficiency North board and executive team presented the cheque to the foodbanks at the organisation’s Sheffield headquarters.
Efficiency North’s chief executive Lee Parkinson said: “The work that the volunteers at both Rotherham Foodbank and St John’s Church Foodbank do is a testament to their commitment and compassion for the local community. We know there has been a three fold rise in the demand and food banks are calling out for help. We are more than ready to meet that call.
“Everyone at Efficiency North is proud to contribute and support this ongoing, crucial work – our ethos is all about making a tangible difference on the ground through connections and relationships within communities. These foodbanks do this throughout the year, but we know that this winter their work is needed even more.”
Alongside the cash donation, Efficiency North’s wider team and board directors have been encouraged to get involved by donating food items from the essentials list, which were also donated on Thursday.
Victoria Morris, manager at Rotherham Foodbank said: “Generous donations from donors, like this from Efficiency North, are what keeps us running, particularly through the winter months when demand soars. A number of foodbanks are predicted to close, proving just how critical our work is for the community.
Despite the challenges, we are more determined than ever to continue helping those who need it the most and we’re incredibly grateful for Efficiency North’s support.”
This year’s donations build on Efficiency North’s previous support of local foodbanks, with the organisation donating £2,500 last year to Sheffield Foodbank and members of the team utilising their assigned charity days to provide hands on help.
If you would like to find out more about Rotherham Food Bank and how to donate or volunteer, visit their website: https://rotherham.foodbank.org.uk/
