AN URGENT appeal has gone out to businesses across Milton Keynes for help in meeting the soaring demand at MK Food Bank.
The charity, based at Kiln Farm, has delivered 9,500 emergency food parcels so far this year – an increase of 27% on 2021. Yet donations are down by a third.
MK Food Bank’s need for support was raised at a business dinner hosted by Milton Keynes Business Leaders Partnership, at which chair Nicholas Mann called on the city’s business community to back the food bank’s work.
Support need not come in financial form, he said.
Companies can support MK Food Bank on a monthly basis and be recognised as a Food Bank Champion. Payroll giving for employees is easy to set up and tax-efficient. Companies can take up opportunities for corporate volunteering and set up food collection points with donation boxes for staff, clients and visitors.
The Food Bank has been supplying emergency food parcels throughout Milton Keynes since 2004. It relies solely on donations of food and money from the local community, schools, churches and corporate sponsors, distributing more than 27,500 parcels to Milton Keynes residents in 2020 alone.
“We need an additional £100,000 a year to help everyone who needs us,” said MK Food Bank’s operations manager Louisa Hobbs. “When successful businesses champion local charities they can make massively positive change in their community.”
MK Food Bank is one of a number of charities being supported by Franklins Solicitors LLP pictured above through its MK Food Reach campaign to mark the law firm’s 40th anniversary. “The cost of living crisis has affected everyone, especially lower income families,” said Franklins partner Andrea Smith. “We wanted to play our part in making a difference and decided the money we would have invested into corporate giveaways would be better spent on supplies to help feed our local communities.”
Find out more about how your business can help MK Food Bank at www.mkfoodbank.org.uk
