08 May 2024
If you haven’t noticed by now that we’re massive supporters of many community initiatives and charities here in our fair city, maybe you need to pop in for an eye examination… or you’re new here so hello and welcome!
In our (nearly) six years of being open, we’ve been involved with some amazing initiatives and helped, we hope, raised awareness of the needs of those who live and work in St Albans.
This week, the community legend that is Raihaanah Ahmed popped into the shop. It’s always fantastic to hear what she’s up to and the number of people that she’s managing to support in so many ways.
Hearing that our St Albans Community Pantry is currently facing a real struggle to keep going was tough.
Put simply, the volunteers (of which they need more regular, active ones) work in a variety of roles to rescue food from supermarkets that would otherwise go to landfill and share it with the community.
Some of these donations are shared via boxes that are delivered to the community by a team of volunteer drivers, others are available for anyone to rescue from the pantry base on certain mornings and evenings.
As the team never know what will be donated, they also use funds raised to supplement the boxes with fresh food staples that the recipients use – adapted for their cultural and dietary needs.
Times are tough though. The rent on the pantry unit doubled in January 2024 and the costs of running the fridges and freezers to keep the food fresh rack up fast. To keep closing the loop between food waste and food poverty, they need your help.
Either by being a regular volunteer – or by donating cash (regularly would be awesome, a one off would help). If you can’t do either, please do follow them on Facebook and share their posts – that too can make a difference.
We’ve donated – because we believe in what Raihaanah and her team are doing. Could you do the same?
Donate now: https://pay.sumup.com/b2c/QQ6QP5J0
