One of Northern Ireland’s largest housing providers has renewed its commitment to tackling food poverty by making a £5,000 donation to support the life-changing work of one Bangor social supermarket.
A community-driven initiative that aims to reduce food and hygiene poverty, Kilcooley Pantry will use the additional cash to support families that struggle to pay for high food costs.
Offering a safe and stigma-free space, people can browse – and purchase – a comprehensive range of affordable items that can be anything up to 70 per cent cheaper than some standard retailers.
A proportion of Choice Housing’s donation will help people transition out of food poverty through cooking and jobs clubs, with benefits and debt management advice also being made available.
Commenting on Choice’s commitment to tackling the real problem of food poverty, Carol Ervine, Choice Housing’s Group Director of Tenant and Client Services, said: “Social supermarkets perform fantastic work to ensure the most vulnerable people in society do not go without food.
“Many of these support services are finding it challenging to meet their overheads and many rely on multiple funding streams to continue to be viable, and with many competing for a limited pot of funding, it can be increasingly challenging to secure funding. These donations will really help.”
Kilcooley Pantry currently helps over forty local families facing food insecurity and has a dedicated project worker to deliver the service, support users, and refer users to other initiatives that are run by Kilcooley Women’s Centre. Initially launched as a small pilot scheme, services have rapidly grown due to a 125 per cent membership increase, according to project coordinator, Lisa Mussen.
The project – which has ten volunteers – engages directly with, on average, 100 households per year, with each gaining access to the social supermarket. For a small fee, they can avail of approximately £45 worth of food, personal hygiene, and cleaning supplies.
“We are incredibly grateful to Choice Housing for their very generous support of £5,000 towards Kilcooley Women’s Centre’s Social Supermarket,” said Lisa. “This funding will make a significant difference, allowing us to extend our reach, and provide vital support to families facing food insecurity and economic challenges in our community.
“The additional funding will be used to stock up on essential food items, household supplies, and hygiene products, ensuring that those in need can access these necessities. It also enables us to deliver tailored advice and support services to help families build a pathway out of poverty.
“We would like to express our sincere thanks to Choice Housing for making this possible and for standing with us in our mission to create lasting positive change in the lives of those we support.”
