Over 50% increase in families seeking food support from Barnardos
Surge in demand for child food supports expected to double as Barnardos launch a new partnership with Aldi Ireland to raise €1million
27th October 2020: A recent survey carried out in Barnardos services shows an increase in demand for food support for families since the onset of Covid-19. This comes as Barnardos today announced a new two-year partnership with leading family retailer Aldi Ireland to raise €1 million for vulnerable young children across Ireland.
Children’s charity Barnardos said its services currently show an anticipated 57% increase in need from families seeking help with food supports for their children in the coming months. The surge in demand for child food supports follows earlier research by Barnardos which reveals that 35% of families with young children increased spending on food in the period March – June 2020 as the pandemic took hold in Ireland.
Barnardos is calling on Aldi customers to help vulnerable families experiencing food poverty to donate* €4 by texting ‘BARNARDOS’ to 50300 or by visiting Barnardos.ie/Aldi and making a donation online. [*Text costs €4. Barnardos will receive a minimum of €3.60. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY. Helpline: 076 6805278.]. Pledging as little as €4 can help Barnardos to provide a hot dinner and access to specialised care for a child in a Barnardos after-school club.
Aldi’s commitment to raise €1 million for the charity will be delivered through a two-year programme of staff, store, customer and community fundraising initiatives supported by the company. All monies raised will go directly to Barnardos Early Years and Family Support Programmes, enabling the charity to provide the 10,000 warm meals to children who attend its centres in addition to funding other key services. Each year, more than 21,000 vulnerable and at-risk families and young children benefit from the services provided by Barnardos.
Since March and the onset of Covid-19 restrictions in Ireland, Barnardos has experienced a substantial increase in the number of young families seeking help to meet basic meal requirements. Since the onset of the pandemic, the charity has provided 7,250 food parcels and 9,620 hot meals to families unable to access nutritious, good quality food for their children. A number of parents have also told Barnardos that they have been eating smaller, or fewer meals, because they are worried their family won’t have enough food.
Siobhan Greene, Director of Barnardos Children’s Services said: “Barnardos has experienced an increase in families seeking help during the coronavirus pandemic with a 30% rise in referrals to our services. At the start of the crisis, we were able to immediately respond to their needs in a practical way by providing food and basic essentials and by offering support regarding understanding and managing the emotional impact of this challenging time. As we progress through the next stage of the crisis, we are expecting to see further significant demands for our services from children and families who are struggling to cope.”
Announcing the partnership, Niall O’Connor, Aldi Ireland’s Group Managing Director, said: “Barnardos is a very important partnership for Aldi, and the work they do to support vulnerable families and children reflects our values. As a family retailer, Aldi has always championed equal access to affordable and nutritious food through initiatives such as Super 6 to give families on a budget quality, fresh ingredients at the lowest prices. However, some families need extra help and support, and that is where Barnardos and Aldi come in. Our partnership will deliver €1 million for the charity over two years, helping to provide 10,000 warm meals to vulnerable children at their centres and a range of other essential supports. We’re looking forward to getting started, and we know that our customers will be fully behind us on such an important issue in modern society.”
Suzanne Connolly, CEO Barnardos, said: “Our research and experience on the ground shows that childhood food poverty is a major issue in Ireland, which has been further exacerbated by the pandemic. Last year alone, Barnardos helped over 21,000 children and families, and in that time we’ve seen growing demand for food supports including breakfasts, warm meals and food parcels for young children. We are delighted to have signed a new two-year partnership with Aldi, and it has come at an important time for Barnardos and the families we support. Aldi has shown the importance of making good quality food accessible to all, and as we head into winter we are confident that the monies raised will make a real difference to the lives of young children who are particularly at risk at this time.”
Aldi works with a number of national charities including FoodCloud, Irish Cancer Society, Community Games and Foróige, as well as with local communities and charities across Ireland in donating Community Grants to help fund local causes. To date, Aldi has donated €2.5 million worth of food to FoodCloud, and over €250,000 to more than 340 local projects.