JD Foundation

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

Drama Express works with children and young people to provide an activities programme based around the performing arts. Each child and young person has a complex disability. With a membership of over 70 young people, Drama Express is a thriving community. The children and young people have a wide range of needs which include a diagnosis of autism / asperser’s syndrome, sensory loss / impairments, cognitive processing deficits, epilepsy, behaviours that challenge, restricted / limited mobility, learning difficulties, genetic disorders, dyspraxia and life limiting conditions. Drama Express also works closely with the families of each child and young person, recognizing the challenges around having someone in the household with a complex disability. This also impacts finances. The additional costs for specialist equipment can put a strain on money for basic items. Other charges such as medicines, travel to hospitals and time off work all contribute to budget pressures. Drama Express is proud to support these families with food surplus. We know from feedback how families feel gratitude to receive fresh, nutritious produce. We also know that shopping can be a huge challenge for these families who tell us that having a child or young person with a complex disability means a supermarket visit can be a real struggle. We have responded by our own deliveries of food surplus ensuring family do not have to worry about lack of food- piece of mind that we all often take for granted.

We are now feeding over 1000 people per month many struggling to buy food. This in turn stops many from shop lifting and helps those who desperately need help. We operate on a referral basis from various agencies including the Council, Police, Homestart, Housing Associations, Job Centre, local churches and local Community Groups. Our clients are usually homeless, jobless, elderly, infirm, low income workers and those in temporary financial difficulties. We supply our clients with a good variety of food which also includes frozen and fresh food. We have now moved to B6 7QA about 5 mins away. We were on GMTV plus central TV Gmtv have been to our foodbank twice and seen the work we are doing win helping to provide food parcels to those in need. We are also on facebook bethany community foodbank