People across Aberdeen are being urged to help a community centre feed local families.
Inchgarth Community Centre’s foodbank is in urgent need of donations, with more households than ever turning up for help.
Last week, 80 families took home a food parcel in just one 90-minute slot.
Manager Paul O’Connor said Inchgarth, which serves 25 communities in the south of Aberdeen, has recorded record numbers of people looking for assistance for the past five weeks in a row.
Among them was a former nurse who told Mr O’Connor she puts her heating on for an hour each morning “as a treat”.
Centre needs support too
The manager said: “It’s so much.
“I’ve seen poverty all my days, I came from Easterhouse, and I’ve worked with it a lot – but no, this is on a new level.
“It’s the mental health, the struggles, the socio-economic issues. Covid has caused bit of it, but it’s everything impacting in a oner now.”
Mr O’Connor urged people to make donations, or organise a food drive at their work to help those in need.
“The big message is that the centre’s here, but we’re needing support as well if there’s any providers that can help people. The public, businesses – do food drive collections at your work, and help these people.”
The Inchgarth foodbank is working hard to support people facing crisis due to the many rising costs of living. Please donate food to help us to help others. All help hugely appreciated. pic.twitter.com/gLqRFG42hT
— Inchgarth CC (@inchgarthcc) March 12, 2022
Problems are ‘unbelievable’
The Press and Journal and Evening Express are working to raise awareness of the vital part foodbanks play in our communities, and where people can get help.
The Big Food Appeal is also working to debunk some of the myths and stigma around foodbanks.
As well as donations of food and cash, many foodbanks rely on volunteers to help sort out the food parcels, like Inchgarth Community Centre.
The venue took an unexpected hit last month when high winds blew off its roof and left its interior exposed to the elements, but has remained open to those in need.
Mr O’Connor said to be able to do that, volunteers are required – saying the centre has an “open door” for anyone looking to help.
He said: “I can’t articulate it strongly enough, that the problems there are unbelievable.
“We’re needing volunteers to sort it, we’re needing people to donate, we need service providers.”
He has asked for more volunteers to man the food sorting station, where donated items are put into categories and date checked, and for businesses to donate just £50 – which would allow Inchgarth to feed a family for several days.
More information about how to help the community centre can be found on its website.
