Fill a box for people in crisis this Lent

Hackney Foodbank’s Adlent Calendar with 40 items to donate in 40 days from 22nd February - 2nd April. Design by Hilary Barnes - www.hilarybarnes.co.uk

Households are being urged to support people in crisis this Lent by donating food and toiletries.

Hackney Foodbank has launched an AdLent Calendar Challenge – asking the public to donate one item per day for 40 days (the idea is to fill a box at home and bring it to their warehouse at the end of Lent).

The food bank recently launched an emergency appeal to raise £100,000 to help them meet unprecedented demand - if the AdLent Calendar isn’t for you, they’d love you to donate £1 per day (or whatever you can afford) for 40 days.

Pat Fitzsimons, CEO of Hackney Foodbank, said: “We have never known things so difficult. The number of people in crisis being referred to us is increasing by an average of seven per cent per week as rising energy bills and inflation leave many unable to afford the basics. We urgently need more donations.

“Many of the people we support are malnourished – we’re gearing up to the Easter holidays when our lunch club will be a lifeline to hundreds of local children who would otherwise go hungry.  Lent is traditionally the time to go without and to consider the needs of others – this year we are pleading with those who can, to mark this special moment in the Christian calendar by donating to people experiencing food poverty.”

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (this year that’s February 22nd) and it ends on Thursday April 6th. Among the items requested for the AdLent box are baby food, curry sauce, jam, biscuits, cereal, sugar, deodorant, nappies, shower gel and soap.

Demand for Hackney Foodbank has more than doubled since before the pandemic. The cost-of-living crisis is leaving many unable to afford even the basics like food and heating and the food bank urgently needs more donations if they’re to meet demand.

Donations should be dropped to Hackney Foodbank at The Florence Bennett Centre in Cherbury Street, open Monday Friday 8.30am - 2pm. To download your version of the AdLent calendar, click here.