“I was embarrassed to be there, but the welcome and the understanding and the non judgemental attitude, I felt like I was just picking up some shopping. It was a wonderful experience on a very dark day.”
The words of just one of the thousands of people that Cardiff Foodbank (Banc Bwyd Caerdydd) have helped during increasingly difficult times. The team that run the Foodbank don’t believe anyone in the Welsh capital should have to face going hungry. This is why they provide three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people who are referred to them in crisis.
Part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, they joined Localgiving in September 2017.
When they set up the account, they had regular support from Localgiving’s Wales Manager, Lauren Swain and two 1:1 training sessions. Today, they consistently raise so much through online fundraising that they can cover many of their core costs, including employing several staff members.
The charity says that this online fundraising is essential to the sustainability of the organisation, as it provides unrestricted funding to cover these essential core costs, which can otherwise be difficult to find through grant funding.