After seeing the challenges faced by our residents and the wider community to eat well on a challenging budget, with many stories from our service users of going hungry and struggling to access foodbanks, we decided to make a difference and do our part to start tackling hunger.
We partnered with Fareshare to recieve donations from major supermakets like M&S, Aldi, Lidl and Sainsbury's alongside self-funding further provisions to ensure we could meet a wide range of dietary requirements.
We have been part the Neighbourly Project since 2017, who help us with donations of food and drink items. In 2019 we joined Toiletaries Amnesty to further develop our service, they provide much needed toiletries for our service users.
Toiletries Amnesty have a case study page on Vanguard Supported Housing, you can view this by following the link. Click here to view our case study
Our Foodbank is open daily to all our service users and managed by our Foodbank Coordinator Pauline Gordon who ensures that allergies and dietary requirements are considered before she administers the food parcels
Pauline has been our Foodbank Coordinator since we opened in 2017 and coordinates the collection of donations and distribution of the food parcels.
Prior to joining our team, Pauline worked in commercial catering. Regular training ensures that she maintains her knowldege of good food rotation, allergies and intolerances, and foor handling.
Pauline had organised nutrition courses where she teaches service users the skills needed to lead a healthy lifestyle and enhance their well-being to a higher standard which will aid them in their journey to independant living.
In the current climate, more and more people are struggling to afford essential items like food, clothing and toiletaries. During the Covid-19 Pandemic foodbank usage tenfold and as an ordganisation we have been able to help the most vulnerable of our tenants during the most challenging of times.
We know there is always more to do and more people to help and we couldn't do that without the donations we recieve from out partners such as Neighbourly, Fareshare and Toiletaries Amnesty. We also recieve donations from individuals and local businesses which we are so greatful for.
If you would like to donate, please get in touch and do your part to tackle hunger, one meal at a time!
