Weekly food collections are still taking place – food donations can be left in our garage every Saturday 10am – 12noon. Currently very short of men’s shower gel and shaving foam, toothpaste and tooth brushes, along with the usuals, rice, pasta and tea bags (in packs of 40).
Food supplies are running very low in the warehouse, understandably so, as our churches and businesses are closed due to coronavirus. However, in the midst of everything that is happening right now, one of the big positives we’ve seen is community being formed within our local neighbourhoods. Many of you may now be part of a group text conversation with your own neighbours, using it to connect with each other and offer support.
A couple of volunteers for Storehouse recently ran a trial and asked their neighbours to see if they’d like to help Storehouse out by purchasing a couple of extra items when doing their shopping and leaving it on the door step of the person organising. We’re delighted to say we had a fantastic response and generated a sizeable amount of donations.
If you have a street WhatsApp group or something similar, perhaps you’d like to try this too! Here is an idea of what to say in your message:-
Hi neighbour!
I was wondering if you’d be up for helping me collect some food donations for a local charity called Storehouse in Belfast. They have a food bank and they’re continuing to provide emergency food to vulnerable people in Belfast. Normally their food donations come from local church congregations and schools, but with all of those closed at the moment, it is difficult for them to collect food, and so their stocks will soon start running low.
There is no pressure at all, but if you’d like to help them out, you could buy an extra item or two when you’re shopping and then leave it on my doorstep, or leave it on your own doorstep and I’ll pick it up, and then I’ll drop them all off later in the week.
Thanks!
If you try this and get some food donations, you can drop them off at our open garage each Saturday morning between 10am and 12 noon. If you can’t get to us, no worries, phone me and we will collect from your doorstep!
Many thanks for all your continued support – lots of bags being left in our garage, along with cash donations too – all very much appreciated.
Jill Simpson
07866 961255