Rye Food Bank – The Covid-19 Effect

May 2020 was the busiest month on record at Rye Food Bank with a 439% increase in need for emergency food parcels compared to May 2019. In May last year 44 food orders were received. In May this year, we received 237.  A similar increase occurred in April where the 12 month difference was 416%.

Rye and the surrounding area has a high number of jobs and businesses involved in hospitality and tourism which has been badly affected by the pandemic.  Rye Foodbank delivers about two tonnes of food each week to families in Rye, Rye Foreign, Camber, Rye Harbour, Winchelsea, Icklesham, Broad Oak, Northiam and Beckley.

Many people have become desperate due to loss of income and redundancy, compounded by the many weeks of waiting to receive Universal Credit and we are seeing a much larger number of children than ever before.

The Trussell Trust, of which Rye Food Bank is a part, released a report last week urging funding for local authorities to ensure grants are speedily distributed as part of a Coronavirus Energency Income Support Stream.  You can see this report here

Donating to Rye Food Bank is one of the most important ways you can support your community at this time. Thanks to everyone who is helping us meet this increased demand.

Please keep your donations coming. This week we need more meat products (corned beef, stew, hot dogs), vegan and vegetarian products, vegetables, UHT milk and fruit.

Donations of non-perishable, in-date tinned food can be received at the back of the Baptist Church in Cinque Ports Street on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9am until about 3pm and are very welcome.

Monetary donations can be sent to the Bexhill Food Bank Rye Branch at Barclays Bank, sort code 20-54-25, account number 83501116, the Jempson Foundation or cheques to Rye Food Bank c/o 24 North Salts, Rye.

You can contact Rye Food Bank at Ryefoodbank@gmail.com.

Image Credits: Rye News library .