Food poverty continues to be an issue for hundreds of people across the country and a first-hand experience for some of our young people.
Keen to make a difference, whilst allowing our young people to give something back to other people now in that situation, the North East team has kicked off a partnership with local charity Feeding Families.
The charity provides thousands of families who are in desperate need with access to emergency food boxes and support packages.
What started as one-off collections at Christmas has now developed into a longer term relationship which will see our young people getting more involved in gathering donations and volunteering.
Earlier this week the team visited the Feeding Families warehouse where they learnt how donations are turned into food boxes for those who need it. The young people then packed boxes and replenished stock ready for the volunteers.
Juliet Sanders from Feeding Families said: “We were delighted to welcome Team Fostering to our Blaydon packing centre to show what we do.
“We aren’t a food bank but we support over 300 other schools, charities and organisations across the north east with food in bulk. It was great that they brought food donations for our packing line.
“Over a million items were distributed last year so these are always welcome. We hope they have gone away inspired and wanting to do more. It’s great that the team has made a real difference.”
Over the next year our Life Skills Group – where we support older children with building skills needed for living independently – will be heavily involved in creating a programme of fundraising events for the charity.
Two coffee mornings have already raised £110 and donation boxes will also be available in local offices, along with a chart showing how many equivalent food boxes have been created from the money raised.
The Vardy Foundation will also be match funding any money donations made.
Keep an eye out for further updates of how our fundraising is going.
Want to join our not-for-profit agency as a foster carer? Enquire today by filling in our online form here