Black Isle Media

Although the #FoodBankChallenge is doing well, I’ve decided to launch a summer holiday campaign to help boost donations for their busiest time of year.

Well the #FoodBankChallenge has wielded some fantastic results for foodbanks across the UK and, even abroad.

However, we cannot get complacent. It’s one thing to get a short term boost in donations, but it’s regular donations that keep foodbanks going. The prospect of them having to turn people away because they’ve run out is becoming all too frequent these days.

Children face going hungry

The school’s will break up for their summer holidays very soon. In-fact some schools in Scotland start this Friday. With this, millions of children who usually get free school meals won’t have that luxury for 5-6 weeks.

It’s a known fact that foodbanks are at their busiest at this time of year with referrals going off the scale.

Now every parent does their very best to feed their child but, unfortunately with benefits like Universal Credit, even parents going without meals themselves, still leaves them short of food for their children.

I need your help.

Over the next two weeks if you could help me in publicising the challenge again I’d be extremely grateful.

If you can donate even the smallest of items it will make a difference. Now I’ve had many people comment they can’t always make it to their local foodbank. No problem.

How can you donate?

• Many foodbanks accept online cash donations these days, just search for you nearest foodbank online and check if they have a website.

• Maybe you could follow Hugh Grant’s lead and order a supermarket delivery direct to the foodbank itself?

• And don’t forget that most large supermarkets have drop boxes near the tills too.

Of course there are many people not in a position to donate. That’s ok. If you can’t donate that’s fine just helping share the message makes a difference.

Here’s a link to the Facebook event so you can invite your friends https://www.facebook.com/events/388366868339940/?ti=as

There aren’t rules to follow

When I originally started the challenge I came under fire for apparently normalising foodbanks or showing off.

Firstly, I don’t like that foodbanks are needed but unless someone has a magic wand, things aren’t going to change overnight. I’m concerned with the here and now.

Secondly, if you don’t want to tell people or publicise you participated that’s your choice. If you’ve donated you’ve made a difference and that’s the most important thing. I totally understand if you are not comfortable sharing about it.

And finally

Thank you to everyone who’s donated or publicised the challenge already, without you I’d have gotten nowhere.

LetsL keep it going and help those who need it the most.

Alex @RespectIsVital