Sainsbury’s Million Meal Appeal has broken records thanks to generous donations from North West Edinburgh residents – and Granton Youth Centre will be one of the beneficiaries! On Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th October, customers at Sainsbury’s Blackhall donated enough food to provide 3000 meals to help feed vulnerable people affected by food poverty in the UK. Sainsbury’s also matched every meal donated by customers, so in total 6000 meals have been donated at Blackhall store.
The Million Meal Appeal is run with Sainsbury’s charity partner FareShare, a national charity dedicated to tackling hunger and food waste
The first Million Meal Appeal was held in 2011 with 600 stores participating. Thanks to customers’ generosity and Sainsbury’s pledge to match meals, 1.2 million meals were donated to FareShare. Due to its success, this year’s appeal was run in over 900 stores. Blackhall store were involved in both appeals and a massive two million meals have been donated in total this year, which includes matching from Sainsbury’s – that’s double the original target of 1 million meals!
Local volunteers, recruited by FareShare, leant a helping hand at the retailer’s Blackhall store over the weekend. The items collected, including tins, dried pasta, pasta sauce, rice, tea and instant coffee, are destined for local charities and projects in the surrounding community including Granton Youth Centre and Edinburgh City Mission.
Sainsbury’s Head of Community Affairs, Andy White said: “Our customers have been telling us that they like giving in this way and it’s really apparent by their generosity despite difficult times. We’re delighted to match all the meals donated by our customers and it means that together we’re helping to provide two million meals to vulnerable members of our communities that need it the most.”
FareShare CEO Lindsay Boswell added: “The response to the Million Meal Appeal has been incredible. We’ll be able to combine the donated pasta, rice and tinned food with the short life surplus meat, fruit and vegetables that we receive daily from the food industry. It will make these surpluses go even further in a time of real need.”
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I’ve had a couple of people in the area ask how they can access the free food as they are struggling to feed their families – so……it might be a good idea to say how to access it as well as how to donate it as it. I had to say I didn’t know how to access/apply for it and it’s not too clear when I tried to google it – or am I just missing it?
Hi Eileen
Edinburgh City Mission was the other recipient mentioned in Sainsbury’s press release – worth contacting them?