When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the UK back in March 2020, we knew we had to do something to help support the most vulnerable and key workers, so we launched our #FeedYourCommunity initiative. Alongside our customers, vendor partners, and various hospitals and shelthers, we aimed to help donate and distribute food to those who needed it most.
Since then, our #FeedYourCommunity project has continued to grow and develop, and so far we've worked with almost 40 different restaurants and caterers to prepare and deliver over 74,000 meals and snacks to 85 charities and frontline institutions!
Here are just a few of our #FeedYourCommunity highlights of 2020:
Since the first UK lockdown, NHS staff and front-line workers have been working tirelessly and putting their lives at risk to take care of patients and keep us all healthy. Through our collaboration with the NHS, we began helping to send one-off or regular food bundles to medical and support staff from 16 London hospitals at the epicentre of this epidemic:
- Hammersmith Hospital (Imperial College NHS Foundation Trust)
- Charing Cross Hospital (Imperial College NHS Foundation Trust)
- St. Mary’s Hospital (Imperial College NHS Foundation Trust)
- NHS Nightingale Hospital at the Excel
- North Middlesex Hospital
- St. Thomas’ Hospital
- Chelsea & Westminster Hospital
- University College Hospital
- Evelina Children’s Hospital
- Great Ormond Street Hospital
- Lewisham Hospital
- Edgware Community Hospital
- Royal London Hospital
- Homerton Hospital
- King George Hospital
- Royal Brompton Hospital
On Easter Sunday we helped to deliver 500 of Dominique Ansel Bakery's finest hot cross buns to hospitals, and on International Nurses Day (12th May) we delivered over 3,000 meals to NHS workers in collaboration with Hospitality for Heroes.
We also delivered meals and sweet treats to support essential workers in fire, police, and ambulance stations, as well as to key workers in supermarkets.
During April, we parterned with Sands Catering and Greggs to distribute around 4000 doughnuts to frontline staff and vulnerable communities around London each week, in addition to over 2000 Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
While key workers really needed a well-deserved pick-me-up during their long hours, we also wanted to help vulnerable communities who couldn't afford to put food on the table.
City Harvest provides support to 300 organisations by collecting surplus food from all areas of the food industry and redistributing it to the most vulnerable members of society -- fighting food waste and helping the industry be more sustainable!
We have worked with City Harvest for a while, by diverting any last-minute order cancellations to someone suffering from hunger. Since the first lockdown, we have strengthened our partnership even more, working with our vendor partners to help donate any excess or leftover food stock to people who need it most.
We've also been working with food banks, soup kitchens, shelters, and community centres to deliver much-needed food supplies, as well as helping to deliver school meals to children and families who have been the hardest hit by the crisis through our partnership with Mission Kitchen.
We want to thank all of you that have donated so far and continue to do so. There's still time for you and your company to join in if you haven't already!
Instead of ordering your typical lunch to the office, why not send a food care package to help support the community? Simply get in touch with your Account Manager or email foodguru@citypantry.com to arrange it.
As per usual, you will cover the cost of the food and delivery. Proceeds will cover vendor costs, thereby supporting the food industry, key workers, and vulnerable communities during this difficult time.
If you have any recommendations for charity partners who are looking for food donations at this time, please don’t hesitate to let us know!