Urgent appeal

As the coronavirus crisis hits Brighton & Hove, we need to ensure the most vulnerable people in our city are not left hungry at home. We need your help to provide food parcels and cooked meals for those who are living in poverty and isolated.

Over the last few weeks, many local residents have lost their previous income and many older and vulnerable people have been advised to self-isolate at home for up to 12 weeks. The existing food bank model of people collecting parcels could now put people at risk at a time when demand will be higher than it has ever been.

Why we need your donation

Food banks and many low-cost community meals depend on surplus food but there is not sufficient supply during this critical time. Well-meaning donations of food by members of the public also run the risk of spreading the virus.

We need to start purchasing (largely wholesale/ in bulk) some food and other essentials to meet demand - all funds raised on this page will pay for food, toiletries and packaging so that we can deliver our plans as below.

We plan to:

* source food and other essential items (eg soap, toiletries) to distribute to people in poverty who are unable to leave their homes

* cook & package healthy bulk meals which can be distributed to people in poverty who are unable to leave their homes and families eligible for free school meals

* create a new model of distribution, with neighbourhood hubs (eg local school kitchens and children's centres) where volunteers can pick-up parcels & meals to deliver to people in their community

* ensure all deliveries are made safely with no physical contact, but offering a chance for social connection where possible, and linking people to other support services

* recruit, train and support existing and new volunteers who will need to work to very high standards of food safety & hygiene

The Food Partnership is coordinating this appeal on behalf of all the key organisations working on these issues in Brighton & Hove: Fareshare who distribute surplus food to all food banks, the Real Junk Food Project who create pay-as-you-feel meals from surplus, the Bevy who are starting a Food Factory to make meals, Chomp who provide free meals during school holidays, all the local food banks, and key referral & equalities organisations (including Lunch Positive, Voices in Exile, the Clare Project).

Get involved

For anyone interested in volunteering to support this vision, or if you know someone who needs help accessing food, please see information on our website which will be updated regularly, and sign-up to our newsletter to keep informed.

If you are involved with a food business that could lend or donate equipment for large scale catering (eg food processors, vaccuum packing kit etc), please get in touch or use our donation system if you have surplus food you would like to donate.

If you want to help further, please share the campaign on your social media using #HungryAtHome and @btnhovefood. This is a proven way to increase donations.

Thank you, from all the team at Brighton & Hove Food Partnership and our partners!