Through its charity partnership with food redistribution charity FareShare, Asda is enabling hundreds of vulnerable families access to food which might otherwise have gone to waste, through the 11,000 charities and community groups FareShare supports. On top of this donation, our community champions will be able to donate £10,000 worth of food and goods to support Muslim communities local to our Asda stores.
Jo Warner, Asda’s Senior Director of Community said:
“We know the past year has been challenging for our communities as they’ve faced into worrying and uncertain times. Through our work with FareShare, we’re supporting vulnerable families and providing meals to those most in need. “Food is to be shared and enjoyed and is often a central part of bringing communities together, especially during important religious festivals such as Ramadan. I know many are hoping for a small family gathering to share pre-fasting and post-fasting meals as restrictions ease and this donation will enable community groups to provide food and support for so many families that may be struggling with food security.
“To all the community leaders out there making things happen – a huge thank you from us for all that you’re doing, I know it’s making such a difference to your local communities”.
Lindsay Boswell, FareShare Chief Executive, said:
“Demand for our service has never been higher and unfortunately we anticipate it will remain high for some time – but thanks to the support of Asda, we’re proud to be working hard to get good food to Muslim communities and faith groups throughout the Ramadan period and all year round.”
Andy Brown, Community Development Leader at Oasis Hub Hobmoor, which is served by FareShare Midlands, said:
“With Covid we’ve had to focus much more on food because the need was so great. When the schools were closed from March to August, we basically turned it into a food distribution hub, delivering about 200 food parcels every week.
Our aim is that no child or adult, no one in Yardley, should go hungry. We’ve heard back from people that the delivery service was really a lifeline, people couldn’t have survived without it and there is still a huge need out there.”
Through the retailer’s Fight Hunger Create Change programme, Asda has invested in FareShare’s infrastructure over the past 3 years, funding new warehouses and refits which has enabled the charity to redistribute an additional 71 million meals since 2018 and support an additional 4000 charities to be able to receive food donations.