This winter, FareShare is tackling loneliness and building community by taking part in the Big Give’s Christmas Challenge — the UK’s biggest match-funded campaign.
Between 25 November and 5 December, the Big Give is once again giving you the opportunity to double your donation if you choose to give via the Big Give’s website. During this period, the first £14,000 donated will be match funded by a combination of FareShare’s charity partners and the Big Give’s champion supporters.
By donating to FareShare’s campaign, you could help unlock an additional £14,000 of match funding, to raise a total £28,000. This would enable the redistribution of 140,000 meals to vulnerable people this winter.
With 14 million people already struggling to get enough to eat, and bills set to increase over the winter months, your donations are more important than ever. But FareShare food does far more than just feed people.
As we move into the colder, darker months, FareShare’s food will be an essential lifeline for people at risk of loneliness. Feeling lonely is an increasingly common experience for people in the UK, with nearly half of all adults reporting experiences of loneliness.
For people who do not have enough food, inviting friends over or accepting invitations becomes a challenge, impacting both adults and children. Food insecurity fuels both hunger and loneliness, causing vulnerable members of the community to become increasingly isolated.
By redistributing good-to-eat, surplus food to its network of 8,500 local charities and community groups, FareShare enables communities across the UK to be brought together through shared food, allowing individuals to feel connected to others and access essential support.
Currently, 88% of our charities provide additional services such as mental health support, including tackling loneliness. FareShare food allows charities to reinvest the cost of sourcing food into these wraparound services and acts as a gateway for people to access further support. As a result, 81% of FareShare’s charities reported that their service uses experienced improved mental health, with 88% feeling less isolated.
At the Dunbeath and District Centre, FareShare food has lifted some of the weight of time, budget and resources. This has allowed the community centre, which is now open for lunch and dinner, to continue providing for the community and creating opportunities for social interaction for anyone experiencing loneliness or isolation.
“The community comes around for the social impact. They love the food, but they really love catching up with their friends. It’s a very social setting.”
Charlie Reid, Dunbeath Centre.
This winter, we need your help to ensure that local charities can meet the huge demand for food services and further support so that no one is left behind. By increasing the volume of food redistributed, FareShare will enable local charities and community groups across the UK to continue to support the increasing numbers of people requiring food support and other services.
Donate to our Big Give Christmas appeal from midday Tuesday 25 November to ensure your gifts go twice as far, helping twice as many lonely and vulnerable people to access the support they need.
So save the date and get ready to give big with the Big Give this Christmas, helping FareShare to tackle loneliness and build community.
For more information about the Big Give’s Christmas Challenge, visit https://biggive.org/christmas-challenge/.
