A north-east social enterprise and charity dedicated to helping disadvantaged people to eat well could be granted tens of thousands of pounds for a “mobile pantry unit”.
The move would help bring its services to remote and rural areas and reduce reliance on foodbanks.
Aberdeenshire councillors on the business services committee have been urged to grant an award of £84,000 to Community Food Initiatives North-East (Cfine) for the new project.
The cash comes from the Scottish Government Food Fund, which was established in May this year to provide all councils in Scotland with help to supply food to individuals and communities that need it.
So far, Aberdeenshire Council has used its allocation to pay for food parcels of fresh fruit, vegetables and eggs for shielded households dealing with financial hardship, continued access to free school meals furing the Easter, October and Christmas holidays, and other projects.
The council hopes the grant of £84,000 to Cfine will help with the development and delivery of its new mobile pantry.
A council report on the funding said it will “enable access to low cost, quality food within communities across Abrdeenshire where there is not an existing community larder.
“This will enable families to access food in a non-stigmatising way and reduce reliance on short-term emergency food parcels.”
Councillros at next week’s committee have also been recommended to approve a grant of £40,000 to the North Aberdeenshire Food Bank, in order to help “coordinate, support and develop the food network, ensuring resources are used effectively.”