The conversation around food poverty and food waste has never been more important, and the added challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic have meant that charities and volunteer organisations have been even more vital in supporting their local communities.
Many people’s thoughts have turned to giving back to their local community in 2020 as the pandemic has reminded people nationwide that we rely on one another more than we previously realised. Gatwick-based aviation solutions provide Air Partner is working to support local communities in its key office locations by partnering with charities, including FareShare Sussex, to support those most in need. Air Partner is also supporting similar charities based around its operations hubs in Florida, Cologne and Doncaster, aiming to reduce food poverty and homelessness and support those in these local communities who are most vulnerable.
FareShare, a Sussex based organisation that combats both food waste and food poverty by redistributing food-industry surplus to those most in need, has seen unprecedented demand for its services during the pandemic – in July alone providing enough food for 380,952 meals.
“Volunteering in the local community is something close to our hearts at Air Partner,” explains CEO Mark Briffa. “We encourage staff to take two ‘volunteer days’ per year to work with charities and organisations to support their local community. It’s with this in mind that we’re partnering with charities like FareShare Sussex to support those hardest hit by the ongoing pandemic. Working alongside them we are hoping to provide over 24,000 meals – enough food for a month for 154 vulnerable people throughout Sussex.”
For more information on the work that FareShare Sussex is doing to combat food waste and food poverty, visit https://faresharesussex.org.uk/