Emergency food and support for local people in crisis

Between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022, the Trussell Trust’s food bank network distributed 2.1 million three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis, a 14% increase on the previous year. 

More than 1 IN 5 PEOPLE ARE LIVING in poverty.

County Durham and Sunderland Foodbanks are here to help anyone who is facing hunger because of crisis – for the parents skipping meals so their children can eat, for the tenant forced to go hungry just so they can pay the rent, for the elderly person making the stark choice between heating and eating.

We are members of the UK-wide foodbank network supported by the Trussell Trust. We are part of the movement to help the many people affected by poverty and hunger in our society. We provide three days’ worth of emergency food along with practical support to help people in crisis, giving advice and signposting to other services in the area to help people recover, rebuild their lives and break the cycle of poverty.

To get information on our locations follow these links:

County Durham Foodbank Locations

Sunderland Foodbank Locations

Why do we need a foodbank?

 

Today in County Durham and Sunderland there are families struggling to put food on the table.  For people on low incomes, a sudden crisis – illness, redundancy, benefit delay or even an unexpected bill- can push finances over the edge, meaning there is nothing left for groceries. Cupboards are bare and people in our community are going hungry. We can’t sit by and let that happen.

Around 14 million people are in poverty in the UK (more than one in five of the population) made up of 8 million working-age adults, 4 million children and nearly 2 million pensioners. (Source: Joseph Rowntree Foundation)  

Durham Christian Partnership are striving to provide extra support at the Foodbank distribution points, in the form of signposting and on the spot advice, at the foodbank distribution points. This enables us to provide sustainable support not just an emergency helpline.  We are working with Advice in County Durham to offer advice from DMAC, Stonham and Age UK at some of the distribution points.  We have also started working with Healthworks at Brandon as well.

Foodbanks help to prevent family breakdown, housing loss, crime and mental health problems.

County Durham foodbank provides emergency food to local people in crisis through a network of 27 distribution points.

“I’ve worked all my life and never thought I’d be in the situation where I’d need a foodbank”

Having grown up in a military background, Richards, 49, had always considered himself fit and healthy. However, after a chest infection quickly developed into a heart condition and he suffered two major strokes followed by 19 mini strokes, he was left unable to work.

Richard’s situation deteriorated further when he separated from his wife and moved out of their family home. The change of address led to his Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) being delayed, and travelling to collect his prescriptions left him without enough money for food, with Richard grateful that the foodbank was there to help.

"Without the foodbank, I don't think I would be here today.

If you would like to support the work of the Foodbank,

please see our Foodbank shopping list for donation items needed.