Across March and April last year North Enfield Food Bank provided 13,338 meals for vulnerable families across Enfield, in the last two months this figure has risen to 35,820, putting the food bank under pressure to increase both donations and volunteer support.
The rapid rate at which the Coronavirus pandemic has changed the world as we know it meant that there was little time to prepare for the increased demand for emergency food needed by Enfield residents. In March, as the effects of the pandemic started to unfold, the food bank gave out more food than they received in donations – which started to raise concern as to how the food bank would be able to continue supporting vulnerable families within the Borough of Enfield.
The growing level of the uncertainty as to the long-term impact of the situation on the wider economy meant that decisive action needed to be taken and quickly. This became the catalyst for many community groups coming together to tackle the problem head on.
Love Your Doorstep and Jubilee Church London united quickly with other local organisations such as British Gas, Exodus YouthWorx UK, the Felix Project and many more – supported by Enfield Council - to create a network of volunteer delivery drivers that could help to collect and deliver donations to be distributed through the food bank to those most in need.
Increased volunteers, many from Jubilee Church London, has meant that the food bank can pre-pack food parcels on the days that they would historically have been closed, and has also meant that North Enfield Food Bank has extended their services to food delivery – getting emergency food vulnerable people in isolation.
Kerry Coe, the food bank Manager, said: “It has been incredible to see the way the community has pulled together during this time. People’s generosity has been overwhelming – not just financially, but also the giving of their time. It has really demonstrated the strong sense of community and the resilience of people within Enfield.”
In the first week of May North Enfield Food Bank passed the milestone of 50,000 fed since opening in 2012 – a milestone that wouldn’t have been possible without the continued support of the Enfield community and beyond.
Source: North Enfield Foodbank website
