Food Lifeline, a project of The Z.S.V. Trust, provides food parcels, vouchers and volunteering assistance to relieve poverty for Jewish people facing extreme hardship, and living primarily in Hackney & Haringey in London, Canvey Island and Westcliffe, in Essex.
Through Food Lifeline’s ‘Heating or Eating Campaign’ they support over 750 families – nearly 5,000 people – in severe economic deprivation, through the distribution of emergency food parcels, energy vouchers and essential provisions.
Parcels are customised according to the dietary needs of their children, to promote equality of access and to reduce waste of unwanted food. The charity prioritises people whose lives are at risk due to illnesses well as orphans, widows, the elderly and disabled.
Their team of 60 volunteers offers further support, including undertaking errands for those still in isolation and signposting beneficiaries for additional support to tackle long-term underlying issues of poverty, inequality and hardship.
The charity is currently looking to expand their support in order to help address increasing waiting lists. Many of these families are torn between ‘heating or eating’ during the unprecedented times of economic challenge, and 40-year high inflation experienced in the UK during 2022 and 2023.
In 2022 the Randal Charitable Foundation provided grant funding for Kosher food distributions for 360 orphans, widows and seniors who are living in severe poverty.
