THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING GENEROUSLY

It's been quite a busy week so I've only just got around to unpacking from my car all the food donations you brought on Sunday for the Food Bank in Chesterfield. I was in Alfreton on Sunday then Ivan and Barbara kindly loaded it all in to my car for me so it wasn't until today that I really got to see how much there actually was.  I'm stunned and really blessed by your generosity.

In June I took 26 kilos of food to the Gates for distribution and in July it was 25 kilos which went to the Loundsley Green Centre.   On Friday I will be taking just over 51 kilos of food and other essentials to Loundsley Green.  That equates to enough food to keep two families going for three days in a time of crisis.

Last time I went to help at the food bank a young mum asked if we had anything for her baby.  Sadly there was nothing we could offer beyond the usual bags of food.  So I was really pleased to see that NLC have given lots of baby food, powdered milk, nappies and baby wipes which means this time we will have some help to offer.

People who come to the food bank have been referred to us by local agencies such as Action Housing or Childrens' Services who work closely with the clients and know their need is genuine.  There was the odd comment at the food collection at Asda this Saturday that the people who come to us are 'scroungers' who waste their money on 'bingo and McDonalds'.  The statistics from Trussell Trust prove the exact opposite to be the truth:

"Only four per cent of people turned to foodbanks due to homelessness; 30% were referred due to benefit delay; 18% low income and 15% benefit changes (up from 11% in 2011-12). Other reasons included domestic violence, sickness, refused crisis loans, debt and unemployment. The majority of people turning to foodbanks were working age families. Over 15,000 frontline care professionals such as doctors, social workers, schools liaison officers and Jobcentre Plus referred their clients to foodbanks in 2012-13."
(Data from trusselltrust.org)

Thank you so much for all your giving.  I know it's not why we do it, but the promise of God is the release of his blessing into the church as we sow what we have into the lives of those in need where we live. Why? To enable us to be even more generous just like our heavenly Father!