FareShare Sussex & Surrey, a food charity focusing on underserved communities in Surrey and Sussex, is preparing for a challenging winter season. The organization provides various services, including food parcels, support for community pantries, and hot meals for individuals in need. It reports a significant increase in demand, with approximately 28,500 people seeking assistance each week, driven by rising food and energy costs.
To meet this growing need, FareShare is aiming to raise £50,000 during its fundraising campaign from December 2 to December 9. This initiative, in collaboration with The Big Give—a fund-matching organization—will double all donations received within that period, enabling the charity to provide an estimated 200,000 meals.
Dan Slatter, CEO of FareShare Sussex & Surrey, emphasized the impact of community support, highlighting that contributions can help families afford meals and assist vulnerable individuals with heating costs. He noted that the high costs of food and energy have created an urgent demand for FareShare’s services this winter, which may be more difficult than previous years.
Additionally, FareShare has reported that “unusually late harvests” have resulted in decreased availability of winter produce, further complicating the surplus food supply chain. Martin Vodden, chairman of Trustees Foodwise Limited, which operates Shopwise in Woking, acknowledged that FareShare’s support is crucial for maintaining stock levels at their facility, stating that without their consistent deliveries of fresh produce and staple items, they would struggle to operate.
FareShare Sussex & Surrey rescues and redistributes surplus food from a network of businesses, supermarkets, manufacturers, and farms from its depots in Guildford and Brighton, serving 248 local organizations across the two counties.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgqz8wqqlk0o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss