During Volunteer week, Fountain Foodbank is taking to the streets to fundraise to help the needy in the Downpatrick area.
Volunteers will hold a special street collection in Downpatrick from 9am to 4pm on Friday 2 June. Volunteer week is designed to help groups to highlight the very valuable work done by so many volunteers. The dedication of those who help in the local Downpatrick Fountain Foodbank is demonstrated by their willingness to participate in this fundraising activity.
Shirley Lennon, Volunteer Coordinator for Fountain Foodbank explained, ‘Our volunteers are so dedicated and committed to what we do. They recognised that we needed to do some fundraising as some of our donation plans had to change. This is the first time we have approached the public in this way and we are hoping for a positive response.
“We have been impressed by the generosity of this community to help those the foodbank supports and we are grateful as we recognise, there are many charities that need support. In the past local people have responded with amazing generosity by donating food items at our various collection points.
“Our approach is different this time in asking the public directly for financial donations but we hope this gives a different group of people the opportunity to respond to local need in an easy way.”
Volunteer week will also be marked in the foodbank by sharing a thank you message to volunteers via social media and by certificates being presented to all volunteers. The foodbank is run entirely by volunteers. On a weekly basis over thirty hours of volunteer time is spent keeping up to the demand for food parcels. Volunteers spend more time in planning, collecting and sorting donations and in administration tasks.
Karen Campbell, a nurse, has been volunteering since the foodbank opened last year. Her role is to meet the clients who come to ask for help from the foodbank. Her compassionate nature is useful in dealing with people who are struggling financially and who often find it hard to ask for help.
Karen explained how she also benefits too from helping. She said: “I help in the Fountain Foodbank once a month as part of a rota. Being quite new to the area, I have found some wonderful new friends in the foodbank. They are a fantastic team to work with. I feel we are doing great work.
“I didn’t realise there were so many needy people and it is important to help. Many people find it hard to come through the door of the foodbank. I recall one lady who seemed nervous. I chatted to her privately and she revealed she had just left an abusive relationship and was finding it hard financially. I felt privileged to listen to her. She needed that sort of support just then. Often company and someone to lend a listening ear are as important as the bags of food we give out. Realising this could be any one of us makes our role seem valuable.”
Wendy Osborne, Chief Executive of Volunteer Now, said: “There are currently over a quarter of a million volunteers in Northern Ireland who all play a vital role, from volunteer drivers to sports coaches, from hospital volunteers to those working in charity shops.
“Volunteers’ Week gives us the opportunity to shine the spotlight on these volunteers and give them the recognition and thanks they deserve. We hope voluntary and community groups and charities will avail of the Volunteers’ Week merchandise we can offer which is FREE to volunteer involving organisations to support their participation in Volunteers’ Week.”
Since opening the foodbank has issued 1300 food parcels which have provided food for almost 4000 people including many children. The statistics include those who have used the foodbank on several occasions until their circumstances have improved. People come for a variety of reasons, including, low incomes, redundancy, illness, benefit issues, homelessness, domestic violence or simply an unexpected bill.
Shirley Lennon added: “One of the reasons the foodbank is raising funds at this time of year is to meet the expected increase in demand for help during the summer school holidays. Families with school age children who receive free school meals find it difficult when these are not available. They often turn to the Foodbank for emergency help over the summer.
“Crisis situations can occur for lots of different reasons and so foodbanks work closely with frontline professionals to identify individuals in need of help by using a voucher referral system.
“As the need rises so an increase in donations is also necessary. It can be difficult to keep up to the demand due to the unpredictable nature of the usage of the Foodbank. Financial donations enable us to buy food economically, especially items that are in short supply.
“A recent collection in B&M Bargains, Downpatrick raised £76 and over 15 large bags of food. We would like to thank customers and staff for this generosity. Downpatrick Credit Union, which now acts a s a permanent collection point for donations, organised a special collection for Easter, raising £57. We are grateful to all for their donations.”
Look out for the volunteers in Downpatrick on Friday 2nd June. The best way to encourage the volunteers and thanking them is by showing your generosity.
Food items can also be donated at the foodbank in Downpatrick Presbyterian Church on Fountain street during opening times from 10-12 on Tuesday and Friday or at permanent collection points in SuperValu , Ballymote, Credit Union, Downpatrick and many local churches and shops.
