MK Foodbank (Into the Community) has received MKCF's largest emergency grant to date.
This important service needs £50,000 a month to meet the increasing need of families in MK. MKCF, in partnership with National Lottery, agreed to provide £25,000 a month from May – August to help them support our community.
Pre pandemic, MK Food Bank relied mostly on donations, with lockdown came food shortages and the Foodbank had to buy food to meet the increasing need, MKCF was able to provide an immediate cash injection of £10,000. In partnership with MK Council (MKC), Into the Community set up Food Bank Xtra, MKC provided venues and assistance with processing referrals and contacts with large wholesalers and also provided additional staff who were redeployed from other parts of the council that are currently suspended such as library teams, MKCF provided £19,000 funding for the additional support required to roll out the new service. Their latest grant will provide monthly funding of £25,000 until August to help support as people are unsure about employment and how they are going to pay bills.
Before the pandemic, the charity had already witnessed a rapid increase in demand for its service by those suffering from financial crisis, hardship, and unemployment. Now the effects of Covid-19 were increasing that need, as reasons such as self-isolation, illness, bereavement, and other vulnerabilities meant a severe shortage of food for many. Individuals were finding themselves without work or money, waiting for benefit claims, ill or having to stay in their homes, all of which was making it harder to access those services normally be available to them. The lockdown resulted in a massive increase in the demand for MK Food Bank’s services, whilst simultaneously meaning a serious decline in food donations.
In response, the charity launched Food Bank XTRA, an enlarged food bank operation, far more able to support its community effectively and efficiently. Since its launch on 26 March 2020, what was a 'normal', pre pandemic food parcel delivery figure of over 1,000 per month, has risen to 1,000 per week. Funding received has been able to meet the most critical need - food - a month's supply of which costs as much as £50,000. (Also to be taken into account were certain ancillary activities, such as logistics and other organisational running costs) The partnership with MK Council also means that, with more people benefiting from the food bank, it’s also easier for them to signpost them to other services such as Mental Health support.
MK Community Foundation’s Emergency Appeal has supported over 75 community groups who are providing vital support to those hardest hit by the impact of this pandemic have shared over £400,000 in grants from NET funding and the Covid-19 MK Emergency Response Appeal fund; set up by Milton Keynes Community Foundation in partnership with MK Council.
With an initial £100k re-allocated from existing fundholders, a generous £50k top up from MK Council and a substantial be reallocated by MKCF's partnership with National Lottery. Their funding pot has reached over £500,000 of which £245,000 was raised in the local appeal. However, to continue this vital support we need to raise £400,000 be the end of July.
Thanks to individuals and businesses who responded to the MK Community Foundation Appeal the money has been able to be distributed to the community groups who needed it the most in an extremely quick turn around.
Find out more about the Foodbank story here.
There is still a lot of work to be done in the community to help local community groups who need help during these difficult times. Any donation to the Emergency Appeal will go directly back into our community and to the local groups who are working to help some of the most vulnerable people at this time. You can donate to the appeal here.
