ALDI DAGENHAM

Our aim is to offer ongoing support through emergency food parcels, basic hygiene essentials and a range of mental and wellbeing support to families, vulnerable adults, schools and the general community struggling to stay afloat. As a grassroots community project we are primarily staffed by local volunteers of diverse groups across the town which makes our services completely free and open to anyone who needs this the extra help. We empower residents to offer their time as volunteers who come together to simply inspire, invigorate and entice others out of their homes to join in various activities, share a coffee through our forums, make new connections and take their minds off worrying - whether young or old, shy or socially awkward, new to the area, retired, divorced, feel restricted, lonely or isolated - our services pride in making our wider user network feel part of the wider community. Since July 2017, we have been able to support over 5k families and delivered well over 12k food parcels both within and beyond Harlow

ln August 2007, ECE recieved a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of 300,000 members of the IYF (International Youth Fellowship) for our contribution to the UK branch. In September 2008, Esther Community Enterprise was awarded certificates from the Lord Mayor of Croydon, for having carried out 100 hours of volunteering activities. On the 2 June 2011, ECE was awarded with theQueens Award for Voluntary Service, MBE. This is the highest award given to voluntary groups in the United Kingdom, and as such, is equivalent in status to the MBE. This prestigious UK National Honour recognises outstanding voluntary contributions and sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering, with the work of those awarded being judged to be of the highest standard. We aim to meet those who have needs in the local community by redistribution of food and other consumables donated from retailers. ECE makes a worthwhile collective response to the 3 tenets of sustainable development, namely social, economical and environmental needs. ECE forms a consortium with other charities, faith groups, projects and organisations. We have over 70 Project Co-ordinators. They manage and help to distribute the food/groceries and clothing items within the local communities across the UK, on behalf of ECE. We have sustained our social enterprise through the goodwill and hard work of over 400 drivers and countless volunteers, who contribute their time, transportation and finance to this worthy cause. Near sell by date food is collected on a daily basis from a range of supermarkets and other retailers and diverted to those that need it most ECE feeds in excess of 40,000 people per week and this is steadily on the increase as we expand across the UK

As a Charity we have always provided food and meals to those in need within our immediate community but, shortly after the start of the Pandemic, we soon became aware of a large number of very needy families, many with young children, with insufficient basic food supplies. As a result, we launched a new food initiative, which serviced some 50 needy families each week, with food gleaned from generous supermarkets, and home-made cooking. Chabad Lubavitch NE London & Essex is now actively involved in feeding hundreds of homeless and needy families each day through a local homeless shelter run by volunteers. The food and other goods that we receive from supermarkets is invaluable to us in achieving our aim of never having to turn anyone away who is hungry or needs our assistance in any way. Contact details: Mr Graham Nygate - 07940 720532