A big thank you to all our generous customers who've been supporting our Fight Hunger Create Change programme by donating to their local food bank at the permanent collection points in our stores.
As the Covid-19 pandemic means the most vulnerable people in our communities need our help more than ever, we're launching a month-long national food drive at all our larger stores to support the food banks coping with a massive increase in people needing their help.
Kloe Tegg, Asda’s Fight Hunger Manager, said: "We’re always overwhelmed by the sheer volume of donations our generous customers make, not just through initiatives like this food drive, but throughout the year as they continue to donate to our permanent collection points in store.
"I want to thank our customers, colleagues for continuing to support our Fight Hunger Create Change programme, and in particular this year as we strive to help those who’ve been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. These donations are making a real difference in their local community, as well as on a larger scale as we support work to tackle the drivers of hunger across the UK."
Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: "Since the outbreak of coronavirus, more people have needed food banks than ever before. Our network is working hard to make sure emergency help is there for people unable to afford the essentials, but we really need your support in Asda stores this month.
"It’s not right that anyone needs a food bank in the UK, so we’re pushing for long-term changes that get money into the pockets of people who most need it. But while we do, food banks need your donations to make sure help is there for anyone who needs it in the coming months. Anything you’re able to give will make such a difference – thank you.”
We will be launching new signs that can be moved around the store to direct our shoppers to what their local food bank is most in need of each week such as tinned foods, non-perishable goods and toiletries.
The food drive this year is in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, as food banks across the Trussell Trust network has seen a staggering rise in demand of 89% in need compared to April last year.
Through our Fight Hunger Create Change partnership with anti-poverty charities the Trussell Trust and FareShare, we providing ongoing support to help meet the pressures faced by the charities and the communities they support.
The £20m partnership between ourselves and the two charities has already enabled FareShare to double their capacity, meaning more food can reach those in need, while supporting the Trussell Trust to provide even more support to people referred to food banks and work towards a future without food banks through better research into the drivers of food bank use.
Earlier this year, we donated an additional £5 million to its partners FareShare and the Trussell Trust to help the country’s most vulnerable people through Covid-19. The donation has been split between the two charities and is helping to provide over four million meals to families who are experiencing poverty, as well as giving and more than 3,000 charities the ability to access free food to help tackle the impacts of coronavirus in their communities.
