Help us boost foodbank parcels across Liverpool each winter with fresh fruit and vegetables, supporting the health of families in a crisis.
It isn’t right that anyone needs to use a foodbank. Sadly many in our city do, with five of our largest foodbanks giving out over 480 foodbank parcels each week. At Feeding Liverpool we continue to campaign to end the root causes of poverty whilst ensuring people have good food at points of crisis.
Through the Winter Boost project, Feeding Liverpool work in partnership with five of Liverpool’s largest foodbank networks to boost every food parcel with fresh fruit and vegetables.
In 2022-2023, we partnered with St Andrew’s Community Network, South Liverpool Foodbank, Micah Liverpool, New Beginnings Improving Lives CIC, and L6 Community Association to boost foodbank parcels across the winter months.
The Winter Boost project will run again in 2023-2024. If you would like to support this project please get in touch with [email protected]
Hear from Cheryl and Sikarthmi about the difference the Winter Boost project makes:
Cheryl’s story
Cheryl 51, from Toxteth, is a mother of two and has four grand children. One daughter and granddaughter depend on her. Cheryl had been working as a nurse and began working as a cleaner before the pandemic to fill financial gaps. After some time, the work fizzled out and Cheryl and her family were back to square zero putting them into poverty right at the time when her daughter and granddaughter had no income.
Cheryl was reluctant to use foodbanks because it’s all tinned food, and she has multiple allergies. She uses her food as medicine. When she relies on tins she get sick really quickly.
Having fresh fruit and veg in their food parcel means Cheryl’s family are eating nutritious food and their immune systems are boosted. Cheryl says: “We need our immunities boosting during this season anyways, even without Covid, its flu season, its cold season, we need a strong system”
Sikarthmi’s story
After leaving Sri Lanka, Liverpool has been home to Sikarthmi and her five children aged 2, 5, 9, 10 and 15, for the last eight years. Since her husband left, she has struggled financially, and her spousal visa expired. Her and her family’s future feels uncertain.
Her children love the fresh fruit and vegetables they receive at the foodbank. In the evenings they will eat fresh carrots and peppers, dipping them in yoghurt.
Sikarthmi says: “The foodbank feels like a family. It is more than the food I receive, it is a place where I feel loved and accepted, giving me the strength to face the road ahead.”