The Salvation Army has been coordinating the food bank for the Island during the coronavirus crisis, with hundreds of residents falling on hard times and needing assistance.
When the foodbank was set up it dealt with 50 households and 98 individuals in the first week. That number rose to 268 households and 578 individuals earlier this month. However, according to Richard Nunn, who runs the foodbank with his wife Alice, the numbers are starting to level off.
He said: ‘Things have started to level off a bit in the last week or so, and I think that has come down to people going back to work.
‘We have spoken to a few people who have said they don’t require support any more because work has come around, which is good.
‘As far as we are concerned it is best when we are not here and are out of a job so the more the numbers go down, the happier we are. We don’t want to be in a situation in a year’s time when we are still here, so it is positive that the numbers are starting to go down.’
Mr Nunn said that regular food donations had helped provide the support needed during the pandemic.
He said: ‘We have had donations coming in to help us which has been great, and Tesco Alliance have been brilliant and so helpful and adapted their systems to help us. And I want to thank Steve Harvey from the charity Brightly for his support with strategy, communications and planning.’
