Tag: Million Meal Appeal

Sainsbury’s customers serve up six thousand meals to tackle hunger

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.”

Granton Youth Centre

Lazarowicz supports food initiative

Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North & Leith has pledged to help local residents living on the breadline by signing up to volunteer at a local food drive.

The Million Meal Appeal – where shoppers can donate food to help local people in crisis – is being organised by charity FareShare and Sainsbury’s stores across the country, including Sainsbury’s at Blackhall. As part of the appeal on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th October, Mark Lazarowicz MP has signed up to help collect donations.

Mark Lazarowicz MP said: “The Million Meal Appeal will help local families struggling with rising living costs and cuts to tax credits. Food banks do an excellent job but I know that demand is rising under this government. I am supporting the Million Meal Appeal and I urge others to visithttp://www.fareshare.org.uk to see how they can help.”

Volunteers will be asked to greet customers and encourage them to buy an extra item of food from the Million Meal Appeal shopping list. Donations will be collected as shoppers leave the store. FareShare will then deliver the donated food to over 700 charities and community projects across the UK to help families in need. Sainsbury’s will match the level of food donations collected over the weekend.

FareShare is seeking more volunteers to assist with the two-day food drive. Volunteers can sign up at http://www.fareshare.org.uk to register, and choose their preferred store and time slot.