Lidl Bolton Crompton

Crescent Food Bank: Alleviating Food Poverty in Bolton and Surrounding Areas Overview: Crescent Food Bank, established in 2021, is dedicated to preventing and alleviating food poverty in Bolton and its surrounding areas. Our mission is to ensure that no one in our community goes to bed hungry by providing food aid, relief goods, and comprehensive support services. We strive to address the immediate needs of our beneficiaries while working towards long-term solutions to eradicate food poverty. Our Services: 1. Weekly Food Distribution: - We distribute food parcels every week to individuals and families in need. These parcels include a variety of non-perishable food items, fresh produce, and personal care products. Each food parcel is designed to provide balanced nutrition and support for those facing food insecurity. 2. Emergency Food Assistance: - We offer emergency food assistance to those experiencing sudden or acute food shortages. This service ensures that no one in our community faces hunger due to unforeseen circumstances such as job loss, medical emergencies, or other crises. 3. Nutritional Education Workshops: - Our workshops educate beneficiaries on healthy eating habits, meal planning, and budgeting for groceries. By empowering individuals with knowledge, we help them make healthier food choices and stretch their resources further. 4. Bespoke Support Services: - We provide tailored support to meet the unique needs of each household. This includes dietary-specific food parcels, assistance for pregnant women and young families, and addressing period poverty with essential menstrual products and hygiene education. Target Population: Our primary focus is on low-income families, homeless individuals, and seniors in Bolton and surrounding areas. We aim to provide comprehensive support that addresses the specific needs of these vulnerable groups, ensuring they receive the care and assistance they require. Community Impact: Since our inception, Crescent Food Bank has made a significant impact in the community: - People Helped: Over 16,000 individuals have received support. - Meals Provided: We have distributed more than 587,020 meals. - Collaborations: We work with local businesses, schools, and other non-profits to maximise our reach and effectiveness. Ethos and Values: Our ethos is inspired by the words of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "He is not a believer who sleeps full while his neighbour is hungry." This hadith underlines our commitment to ensuring that no one in our community goes to bed hungry. Volunteering Volunteers are the heart of our organisation. Opportunities include food sorting, distribution, and event support. e are proud to partner with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) programme, offering young people the chance to volunteer and gain valuable skills and experiences.

Advancement of christian faith and poverty relief. we pursue these by: -running regular, educational and inspirational seminars using in-house resources as well as external faculties. -providing welfare and social support for people in need. -

The Food Hub is our warehouse where a number of projects are run than are tackling food poverty. These projects include Storehouse Foodbank, Storehouse Pantries, Local Welfare Provision, Bolton Lunches and Christmas Dinner on Jesus. Storehouse Foodbank provides emergency food parcels to individuals and families who find themselves in food poverty due to reasons such as illness, debt, benefit delays, homelessness, domestic abuse, redundancy or family breakdown. Food parcels are collected from a number of centre's known as "collection points" or delivered to people's homes on a Wednesday or Friday. Referrals are made via a broad range of support agencies that are supporting the individual or family in their wider circumstance. We understand that the provision of food alone is not a sustainable solution and so we need to be working in partnership to be more than food. Urban Outreach Support Workers also work closely with families and adults in crisis. Bolton Food Hub benefits from the generosity of over 60 schools, 80 churches and numerous local business and organisations who collect food, both at harvest time and throughout the year, many using our “Grub Tubs”. Most importantly, these donations are supplemented by collections of fresh and ambient surplus food donated by supermarkets and food-on-the-go outlets across Bolton and peripheral areas.