Almost 4,000 people helped by Foyle Foodbank during past year

The Directors of Foyle Foodbank have thanked all their patrons and donors for their invaluable support during 2019, stating that without that generosity “the food bank could not continue to operate”.

During 2019 Foyle Foodbank distributed over 22 tonnes of food to 3,794 people, including 1,596 children. This equated to over 31,000 meals.

This service was made possible by the following generous donations from members of the public, with 12.5 tonnes of food donated at the charity’s collection point at Sainsbury, Meadowbank, and a further 8.5 tonnes of food donated at its collection point at Tesco, Strand Road.

A total of £3,625.00 meanwhile was collected at the Tree of Remembrance at Foyleside during the Christmas period and a further £1,739.38 collected at a flag day on October 30 last year.

Foyle Foodbank was set up in 2016 as a charitable organisation, and is reliant on volunteers to deliver its service, acting as a conduit between those who donate food, hygiene products and funds with those in food crisis.

Directors of Foyle Foodbank said they “wish to humbly recognise the generosity of the public in Derry/Londonderry during 2019 so that no-one seeking our service in this city and its environs had to go without food”.

The charity directors added: “The numbers seeking our service increased by 7% on the previous year and already we are seeing an increasing demand for our service in 2020 which can only be met by the ongoing support of members of the public.”

Referring to the magnificent generosity of the people of the North West, Denis McGowan, chair of Foyle Foodbank said; “It is unfortunate that we are seeing increased numbers coming to us. We know that the average weekly income of households using food banks in Northern Ireland is only £50 after paying rent. One in five have no money coming in at all in the month before being referred for emergency food and 94% of people coming to food banks are destitute, i.e. they have no money for the basic necessities of life. At Foyle Foodbank we provide a non-judgmental welcome, space to be heard and the best support we can.”

James McMenamin, manager of Foyle Foodbank, added: “We have been in operation for over three and a half years and during that time we have distributed over 60 tonnes of food to people experiencing food poverty. We simply couldn’t keep the food bank’s doors open without the help of local people both as volunteers and donors.”