A £50,000 funding boost from Mannofield Parish Church will help Inchgarth Community Centre run its foodbank for the next two years.
The partnership aims to tackle inequality, social isolation and the cost of living crisis across Aberdeen.
The money will allow the community centre to create a new foodbank and support a project coordinator role responsible for creating new initiatives in the city.
New recruit, Victoria Alexander, will forge partnerships with the third sector, businesses and volunteers to help improve people’s lives.
Paul O’Connor, manager of Inchgarth, said: “We are hugely grateful and excited about this new project, one that creates numerous levels of support at the right time, and cannot thank Mannofield Church enough for its support.
“We look forward to seeing the fruits of this work and how it will change lives for the better across 30 communities.
“We invite service providers and partners from across the city to get in touch now to join our campaign and to deliver services together, as the entire ethos of this wonderful support is about partnership.”
Partnership was ‘an easy choice’
The foodbank at Inchgarth Community Centre has operated for the past two years, providing food parcels to 600 people, in that time.
Volunteers have worked with the local communities for more than a decade, and notably during the Covid pandemic, when £200,000-worth of support was given to thousands of residents.
It is continuing the vital work throughout the current cost of living crisis which has created a further increase in demand.
The community centre has reached out to many, including those working in poverty, people with disabilities, the elderly and young – all who have been hit hard hard by rising costs.
Minister of Mannofield Church, Keith Blackwood, added: “We are delighted to partner with Inchgarth in this project. In an ideal world everyone would have all they need for a comfortable life.
“However, in this time of economic hardship for some, many people are struggling with day-to-day necessities. When we set out to see how we could help, partnership with Inchgarth was the easy choice.
“We know the valuable resource they are within the community and we are delighted now to be in a position to employ a worker to join the team and extend the foodbank project in ways that will benefit those who need a little help.”
Members of the public can also offer their support to the foodbank by making a donation or dropping off essential items.
The Press and Journal is working to support communities across the north of Scotland through its Big Food Appeal.
We want to help break down the stigma around foodbanks, and make it clear who can use them – the simple answer is, anyone who needs one.
We’re also signposting people to their nearest foodbanks, and the various help that is available during the holidays.
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