This year instead of everyone at AAUK giving gifts to each other in the office, suppliers, customers, and business contacts our Director Lisa decided to put Ocado/Waitrose to the test and ordered some absolutely HUGE amounts of food and hygiene products and had them delivered local food banks, churches and families on low incomes who are struggling to make ends meet this Christmas time.
We all know the Christmas shop is special because of all the things we buy that you can only get at Christmas, the things we share as a family and so Lisa who seriously LOVES Christmas also bought loads of Christmas foods like spiced Christmas biscuits, mince pies, Christmas cakes and Christmas chocolates. (She bought some in to the offices for us too – Yum! Yum!)
People are important not things, but it certainly is nice to have a few treats you wouldn’t normally have, especially at this time of the year when we all celebrate.
We didn’t give in order to receive anything but it certainly did makes us all feel awesome, the thought that there were children out there that would get a lovely little treat just for themselves every day in December when normally their parents try so hard just to feed them on a daily basis that it is highly unlikely they’d be able to justify a treat like that. It is definitely something we’ll do again in the future and not just for Christmas time. The only reason we have chosen to put it on here is to further raise awareness of the food banks local to us all.
Just Google food banks near me to find out more…
Elim Life Church Food Bank is located at 31 Kettlehouse Road, Kingstanding Circle, B44 9JH
Open from 11.30-1.30 pm every Tuesday.
Hunger is not just a developing countries problem thousands of miles away. People pass you every day – families, children, the vulnerable, the unemployed…
In Kingstanding many people are living on the edge of poverty. National statistics show that 34% of households in Kingstanding with dependent children have no adult in employment – this is more than double the national average. 31% of adults are claimants of main benefits and 50% have no qualifications.
All it takes is a sudden, unexpected event – a bereavement, illness, redundancy – to throw people into a genuine crisis. This is where the food bank can literally be a lifeline to families and individuals who find themselves in this situation.
The food bank provides people with the essentials at a time when they need them most, filling the gap of days – or sometimes weeks – before other parts of our social infrastructure can come into play. We receive donations of dried and tinned food (also toiletries) mainly from churches, our own church members, schools and local residents.
Food parcels are made available to local families and individuals sent on referral. Referrals come from registered professionals including schools, doctors, health visitors, church pastoral workers, advice centres and social workers.
Food bank can also provide toiletries such as toilet rolls, soap, shower gel and toothpaste as well as nappies and baby food.
Kingstanding Life Café – Every Tuesday, while food bank is running, enthusiastic and committed volunteers run our Life Café for food bank clients. This is an opportunity for clients to have a hot cup of tea or coffee and some signposting help if needed. The Café is not restricted to food bank clients and welcomes anyone who is in need of some company to drop in and have a cuppa and chat. It is important to us to help meet the need of the whole person and to show God’s kindness in many different ways.
What can you do?
If you would like to donate food or toiletries to food bank it can be brought to Kettlehouse Road between 11.30 and 1.30 on Tuesdays or deposited in collection points at:-
Tesco Express, Hawthorn Road
Co-Operative, Hawthorne Road
Asda, Perry Barr & Queslett Road
Check out their very informative website for further information and ways you can help improve your local community.
www.elimlifechurch.co.uk
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